N a r c h i t e c t u r e

Y e L i u2009 - 2011

Most critically, change is the key physical and physiological factor in our being able to perceive at all. Our perceptual process is a kind of perpetual motion assimilator. No change, no perceptual consciousness. - Being and Circumstance, Robert Irwin

One must make an optic, one must see nature as no one has seen it before. - Paul Czanne

We cannot live without nature. I respect it, learn from it, sympathize with every slight and subtle change of it.

Changes are happening at every moment. Some are made by us, controlled by us or because of us. But thousands of them are taking place naturally, automatically, spontaneously. We dont even know, they are just slipping away.

There are plenty of chances that we are trapped in the controllable-uncontrollable situations when change is happening.

But that is what is fascinating. There are no dilemmas, we have changing chances.

Preface

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I am an observer, a life experiencer.

I appreciate integral fragments that are with people, environment and architecture.

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Solar Panel

I am nostalgic for sitting on a bank with friends, getting a better view and playing on a raised area of ground that slopes at the sides. I also love being embraced by nature. It is fun, and It is not only about childhood.

Nature always influences peoples behavior. When landscape changes, people will find another way of enjoying it.

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This is a selected piece for the 2010 Cranbrook Academy of Art Chair Show

Creators: Ye Liu & Hsin Chun Wang

Location: On the lawn of Eliel Saarinens Cranbrook Art Museum and Rafael Moneos new building. Floor Area: 16*7

Materials: 2*4, 2*8, 4*4 framing lumbers, 4*8plywood sheets, turf spots, soil, plastic garden fence, steel joist hangers, 2*4*8 pink foam

Cost: approx $450.00

Construction Phase: March 11 - 24, 2010

We tilted up the turf. A cosy platform for people to step on, sit on and lie down was created. The gentle slope does not only directs the ground towards sunlight, but also shifts the lawn to a big outdoor chair.It is growing and aging simultaneously everyday.

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There are many ways to preserve and protect wood. But this is the best and cheapest one: charring it.

The surfaces of the lumber frame-works to be placed in the ground have been torched, which makes them very durable.

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above,BLOOMING SPRING

below,CHIRPING SUMMERGrowing quietly

opposite page, above,SITE CRITEngaging and coorperating with nature, colleagues were enjoying every minute of it

opposite page, below,LATE FALLAging and dying before the extreme winter came

It stands there.Its expression changes everyday, even in a rainy day.

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above,SUMMER, 2010

below,WINTER, 2010First snow in town

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above,SUMMER, 2010

below,WINTER, 2010First snow in town

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Pre- Souvenir

The winter is never as boring as you thought.It changes everyday, at every tick-tock.

Location: The southern wall of Cranbrook Academy of Art Library

Period of photographing: December 24, 2009 - April 28, 2010.

* This is a preview for the project Souvenir.

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Souvenir

Everyday is beautiful. It never slips away.- In Memory of Every Transient Fall in Bloomfield Hills

I was impressed by the momentary and gorgeous fall in Michigan. I know, it was getting cold but summer was not just sliping away constantly and spontaneously with no trace.

It is hard to collaborate with someone you never met.But with nature, which has a thorough understanding of everything on the earth, it is different. I have been learning from it and we work in coordination. It tells me so much.

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In this project, I marked the boundary between shade and exposed areas at 4:30 p.m. with no marker pens. Nature helped me to create this artifical-natural facade.

Ivies are prone to developing yellow leaves, which can result from a number of issues: too much water, too little water, insufficient sunlight, insect infestation and nutrient deficiencies. It seems that the sunlight is the most uncontrollable issue. But this is what I was starting with. The timing is critical too. I covered the ivy leaves on the exterior walls with thin and pliant aluminium foil for 31 days (from September 25 to October 26). It kept the leaves in the shade without losing normal air and humidity. The fading of shady leaves was slowing down, even stopped. Compared with the ones facing the sun which turned red as always, they remained yellow/green.

Location: The exterior wall at the courtyard of Painting Department, Cranbrook Academy of Art. Shady Area: approx 360 sqf

Materials:Aluminium foil, twisted nylon ropes, stakes, paper clips, packaging tapes

Cost: approx $60.00

Artificial Construction Phase: September 25 - October 26, 2010.

Natural Construction Phase: lasting till all the ivy leaves on the walls faded away

* Unfortunately, because of the wind storm on Oct. 26 and 27, 2010, the leaves fell out quickly and substantially.

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above,GETTING DRESSEDShading the ivies with aluminium foil jacket

right,4:30 P.M. (1)

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above,STRIPPED OFFBack to normal/nothing in winter

right,4:30 P.M. (2)

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Lake Studio

Mr. Elliott Earls needs a new studio when he is working from home on the banks of Lake Leelanau. All I need is a spot in the woods by the lake.

To minimize the disruption to natural life there, I planned to make this studio invisible (or partially invisible) and seemingly suspended visually in the woods from the first moment I caught sight of the thick and stunning birches and cedars at the site.

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above,PROGRAMS AND PLANSFunctions and Seasonal Usage on plans

opposite page, above,LOCATIONSite Plan of Lake Studio (New Studio)

opposite page, below,ORIENTATIONDiagram of Long Elevation

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Besides the functionality, charred cedar and mirrored glass are used in this project for the facade.

- First floor: Glass with mirrored film provides one way visibitity from the interior. Now the studio is invisible and floating in the woods.

- Second floor: Cedar is economic and available at the site. After charring the surface of the cedar shingles - which is an ancient architecture technique of coating - it becomes durable, waterproofed and insect-proofed.

Back to the architecture itself.

The studio is ready to engage with people from the inside out as well.

above,MIRRORED GLASS

below,CHARRED WOOD SURFACE

opposite page, left to right, above to below,WOODEN FRONT DOOR

GARAGE DOORkayak can be stored from back door in winter

LIGHT BOXglass floor on upper level for main entry at night

LONG DRAFTING TABLElow table on the second floor

FENCE FOR CHILDRENtabletop can be switched to fence, easy to install

COFFEE CORNERsit or lie on the transparent floor when having coffee

SLEEPING PORCH (Inclined)adjustable king-size bed on the second floor

SLEEPING PORCH (horizontal)adjustable king-size bed on the second floor

ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT FOR FIRST FLOORwhen tall art piece is being made, first floor will gain more tall space

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FIRST FLOORPlace the first floor at the reserved spot after the disassembled components are shipped to the site

TWO-STORY BOOK SHELFHoist the book shelf component and plug it into the void

BOOK SHELF PLUGGED IN

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SET SECOND FLOOR INAssemble the second floor component, install flooring

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ROOF INSTALLED COMPONENT LISTReady to go1. Charred cedar shingles2. Skylight for sleeping porch3. Roof4. Second floor (cabin)5. Book shelf6. Long drafting table7. First floor8. Mirrored glass (invisible studio)9. Garage door10. Adjustable sleeping porch

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NIGHTTIME VIEWPerspective

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Penhill Cloud

What you see is what you smell

Sensing the environment

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Architecture is becoming much more complicated, parameterized, high-tech, alien-like. Many of us have been walking far away from the origins and the nature.

How about letting architecture grow itself? How about going back to the original, to the era that just belongs to us and our sense organs?

This is it.When I visited Penhill Mountain and the old town of Lijiang, I knew this was going to be the site for my thesis work.

Its an approx. 134,764 sqf site (for commercial use) located on a hillside close to Penhill Mountain across from the old town of Lijiang golf course. Itll primarily be a lux-ury spa resort as well as offer some residential vacation homes. The site has great views of the lake and snow mountain with spring water coursing through. The landscape is quite intricate with many intimate spaces.

Advantages of the site:Plenty of forest zones, special geographic position, three-dimensional climate, rich in natural resources.

FAR = 0.96Based on lots of research on FARs of local hotels, apartment, dwell-ings

Strategy:- A brand-new hotel/resort model, get into the fourth stage - Zones defined by fragrances and seasonal plant colors - New life style provided, each room has it own organic kitchen - Sustainability model

PROGRAMSTotal area: 128,984 sqf

VIEW FROM THE SITESun setting

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Gift Store

Lobby Lounge

Deluxe Suites

Regular Suites

SPA Suites

65m2*28

65m2*8

1:1000

195m2*4

GuestroomsPublic Area/AmenitiesHotel Lobby

250m2

Hotel Living Room

90m2

45m2

Food &Beverage

60m2

All Day DiningRestaurant

210m2

Special ChineseRestaurant

270m2

Chill-Out Bar

120m2

SPA/Wellness Center

1800m2

SPA

Fitness Center

50m2

Feature HeatedSwimming Pool

30m2

Kids

90m2

Hotel Programs

ServicesFront Desk

90m2

Function Support

50m2

Executive Offices

80m2

General Offices

75m2

Accounting Offices

75m2

Food Service Areas

150m2

Housekeeping/Laundry

280m2

Maintenance

175m2

Employee Facilities

150m2

Mechanical/Electrical

950m2

Gross Up/Circulation

3523m2

Total Area: 11,983m2 =128,983.94sqf

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Zoning MethodologyFragrances, flower colors, seasons

Three layers are distributed vertically.The fragrance and natural color mass is forming a intangible but stereoscopic cloud

left,PLAN OF GREEN AREA

right,LAYER 1General zoning by fragrant herbs and plants

Sweat Te

a Olive

Lavender

(/

Rosemary

(/

/

Yarrow

Winter Jasmine

Magnolia

Rosemary

Lavender

Gentian

Sweet Tea Olive

Azalea

Orchid

Camallia

Yarrow

Cherry Apple (1)

Kidney Bean

Costus Root

Cherry Apple (2)

Boundaries

Sweat Te

a Olive

Lavender

(/

Rosemary

(/

/

Yarrow

Winter Jasmine

Magnolia

Rosemary

Lavender

Gentian

Sweet Tea Olive

Azalea

Orchid

Camallia

Yarrow

Cherry Apple (1)

Kidney Bean

Costus Root

Cherry Apple (2)

Boundaries

Sweat Te

a Olive

Lavender

(/

Rosemary

(/

/

Yarrow

Winter Jasmine

Magnolia

Rosemary

Lavender

Gentian

Sweet Tea Olive

Azalea

Orchid

Camallia

Yarrow

Cherry Apple (1)

Kidney Bean

Costus Root

Cherry Apple (2)

Boundaries

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left,LAYER 2Dividing the woody plants, yard and potted plants

right,LAYER 3Green roofs by fragrant herbs and plants

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left to right, above to below,GENTIANFor hilly area

YARROWA flowering plant for concentrating essential oil

ROSEMARYFor multiple usages and potential medicinal use

LAVENDERFor multiple usages

opposite page, left to right, above to below,SWEET TEA OLIVE/FRAGRANT OLIVEA Chinese plant in gardens

CHERRY APPLEA special fruit in Lijiang

KIDNEY BEAN (WHITE)A special product in Lijiang

COSTUS ROOTA Chinese medicine for multiple usages

CAMALLIA

AZALEA

ORCHID

COSTUS ROOT

WINTER JASMINE

MAGNOLIA

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We humans are able to distinguish some ten thousand distinct smells. This is only a fraction of what a good bloodhound can recognize, but it nonetheless encompasses a huge spectrum of olfactory experiences. The complications, however, arise less from the sheer size of the scent palette than from the fact that many scents are mutable. They can alter because of age or time of day, with the season or the weather, because of soil or cultural care. Whats more, we, too, are mutable. Our percep-tions changes along with our moods,......Plants that alter their scents from day to night often have several pollinators-some day feeders, others nocturnal. Some perfumes need to mix with air before they are detect-able by the human nose; sniff the flower and smell nothing, but step back ten feet, and Wow!

- Fragrance in Bloom, Ann Lovejoy

above VISIBLE FRAGRANCEFrom gentian zone of spa

opposite page, above,SPILLINGFrom lavender zone of public services

TANGIBLE SCENTSSamples of Sweet Tea Olive, Cherry Apple, Kidney Bean and Costus Root

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HILLSIDE

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PATHWAY

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UNITSEach unit is one of a kind

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DETAILS

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LIGHTSCantilevered second level with transparent floors (glass floors) become porch lamp for people who stay late

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SENSING SCENTSat the 2011 Graduate Degree Exhibition

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at the 2011 Graduate Degree Exhibition

Other Projects

D-Tour Belts

Learning from Las Vagas is worth a try.

But do we really need another new casino in the Motor City? The answer is no. Since there are three main casinos in downtown Detroit (MotorCity, MGM, Greek-town) and a famous one just across the Detroit River (Caesars Windsor) apparently it is unnecessary to have another brand-new one.

All we need is to engage people and bring them into downtown where the three casinos are located.

Michigan Avenue was invited into this project. It ended up being the focus and was replaced by the longest conveyor belts with three stations along the way. It is transporting people between the airport and downtown twenty-four seven. It is named D-Tour Belts.

There are no more vehicles on Michigan Avenue.

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Three stations:1. First stop - the new airport2. Stop station - abandoned Michigan Central Station3. Terminal - the podium of Comerica Tower

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Free brochures/guidebooks with belt map as well as commercials and coupons of D-Tour Belts are available at every station along the belts.

You can also download from here: http://issuu.com/chaton/docs/guidebook_yeliu

Or contact us at 248-860-7920.

right, INDICATORS OF D-TOUR-BELTS

opposite page, left to right, above to below,COMERICA PARK & D-TOUR ADSas well as Tigers season schedule

LINES, TIMETABLE & INDICATORSten lines, ten colors of D-Tour Belts

SPECIAL OFFER (1)best restaurants and top bars/lounges along the belts

BELT MAP WITH GENERAL SERVICESalong with diagrams of emergency exits and no-entry signs for car drivers

MGM GRAND COMMERCIALbest and fastest way to MGM by D-Tour Belts

LANDMARKS AND POINTS OF INTEREST

SPECIAL OFFER (2)with event and holiday calendars

ADSget your skate on and save Saab

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Other Projects

Manual Shed

Where there is building renovation there is a scaffolding shed in New York City. Why not renovate the stereotyped shed itself? Handicrafted bamboo was used to substitute for machinery in this project. Most of the structural components can be produced on site.

Bamboo resists both compression and tension. It is also easy for load-ing, shipping and unloading.

If it is a long-term renovation, bamboo can be planted at the site and become a live shed.

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Structure: - Bamboo frameworksMao Bamboo or Henom Banboo columns (D100mm, H7200mm)*200 and short colunms (D70mm, H1800mm)*200; beams (D70mm, L4200mm)*80, (D70mm, L7200mm)*160; ring beams (D50mm, L7200mm)*80- Steel strings (D10mm)- Steel handrails (D50mm)

Facade and parapet: - Woven bamboo shades

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P r o j e c t sYe Lius Portfolio 2006 - 2009

Portfolio_Ye_Liu_2006-2009_Small.pdf20090127_PORTFOLIO