Chunking Express is a special film to me. It has influenced my viewpoint on design and architecture. Christopher Doyle's reflection on the filming location of Chungking Express introduced me to the critical role of architectural space in storytelling.
Chungking Express tells the story of two men and women who met and got to know each other in a reinforced concrete forest. What I see in this is that in a city with rapid modernization, communication between people is rare. This reminds me of Shenzhen, a modern but indifferent city. How to create a residence that naturally provides possibilities for communication between people is the main subject of this design.
Through the analysis and translation of the movie, I hope to use the language of the movie Chungking Express to tell a story and build a warm home in the glass skyscraper.
Recollecting Futian district, Shenzhen diagram
Analysis of time distribution
For most migrant workers, commuting time takes up 6.25% of the day. The rest time at home after work, on the other hand, is mainly allocated to the online virtual world.
Current problems in urban villages
narrow space lack of privacy scale issues sunlight issues
The bedroom converted from a utility room is so cramped that only a crib can be put down, making it difficult to live there.
commute time: 45mins one way
leisure time distribution
Multi-occupancy dormitories converted from living rooms without the necessary separation resulting in a lack of privacy between occupants.
The rooms are too small making it difficult for residents to move around in them and for furniture to be used.
The close proximity of residential buildings leads to a situation of "one line of sky", making it difficult for residents to obtain sunshine.
Non-compliant extensions in urban villages and cluttered environments have an adverse impact on the overall urban environment. urban issues
lack space for children lack space for social security issue lack of essential funtions street issues
There is basically no room for the children to move around and they have to play downstairs on the curb, which is hazardous.
The lack of social space has led to people even chatting only on demolished ruins.
The large number of wires and cables crossing between residential buildings and unauthorized extensions creates a fire risk, which is exacerbated by the excessive use of electricity.
Some residences lack essential features, such as bathrooms and kitchens, and the basic living needs of residents cannot be met.
The street is a mix of stores, with debris occupying the original parking spaces in front of the entrance, and some of the restaurant's dining spaces are also placed on the curb.
Concept of coliving
I want to design a co-living community where can promote human interaction to enhance the well-being of the users, a place of care
Analysis of film structure and plot
The movie Chungking Express consists of two stories about the subtle transformation of feelings between two pairs of men and women under the concrete forest. Its movie structure is symmetrical, with the two stories of night and day heading towards different endings. A lot of contrasts are used in the drama, with fast showing slow and cold showing warm.
But in today's urban life, people are lost in the airtight steel forest, and human relationships have become strange and alienated.
Analysis of needs
Based on the theory of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I conducted the physiological and psychological needs of the four main characters in the film Chungking Express as well as the target users of my design. By analyzing the behavioral and psychological need of different groups, understand the distinctiveneed of living space and public space systematically. These analysis help ME decide which elements should be valuedand expressed in design.
Analysis of time distribution
To decide the proportion of area and function segmentation by the distribution of time in different activities.Using the 8-hour workday as a basis, I explored the allocation of the remaining 16 hours of time to the average urban village resident, along with design goals and hopes for the target users.
Daytime
During the day, people work in the office. The building blocks create a lounge with a lower height. Functional areas such as conference rooms are separated from the office area. With the curtains drawn, the two are independent of each other.
Nighttime
At night, when office workers return home, they can share dinner in the public kitchen, chat and relax, or they can stay in their own small rooms, read and think. The 3*3 free space gives users unlimited possibilities.
Bird observation points
Migration route
Site
Range of wading birds
Range of Songbird
Range of migratory birds
The entire building is divided into two flow lines: the internal activity flow line the external viewing flow line
The Bolabi Lake wetland is an important habitat for birds and a destination for many migratory birds, especially waterfowl. Bolabi Lake is located in the agricultural area of Nakhon Sawang Prefecture, Thailand, and lacks a building that offers a rich experience of bird observation, interaction, and entertainment. There are no less than 238 species, 20 orders, of birds in Lake Borabi. According to their ecological habits, including foraging, resting, and reproductive activities, birds of 20 orders can be divided into 7 ecological groups: migratory birds, wading birds, climbing birds, walking birds, flying birds, songbirds, and raptors.
The building first evolves from a circular shape, and then multiple functional blocks are derived inward from the ring, and the building is adjusted to different heights according to the terrain and water level to adapt to the entire site.
Block Generation
Bird distribution map
Seasonal functional change analysis
diagram
Dry season
The overall internal flow of the building does not have repetitive routes, which can provide visitors with a better experience inside the building. On the flat surface, one can deeply feel the special functional layout for a better experience, and the interior space of the building is also relatively open, with furniture arranged along the streamline.
Rainy season
During the rainy season, the water level rises and a portion of the roof terrace is covered by the lake, naturally creating a water-friendly platform. People can observe the life of water birds up close here. A part of the building is also flooded with water, and indoors one can see special scenes such as waterbirds fishing underwater.
The building is transparent and has an open hall where people can enjoy the scenery and bird species from sunken seats. After the hall, there is a submerged corridor that allows people to experience traveling on water and underwater.
Inside the building, there is a spacious activity area where parents and children can make models and specimens. Dedicated teachers educate children about birds while they play. Outside the building, there are nests designed for birds to rest and breed. Visitors can observe bird activities up close in the nests while walking in the corridor. entrance
ramp outside the mutimedia hall
specimen preparation area
facade of specimen preparation area
During the flood season, buildings are partially submerged, and people can see different bird activities underwater. People have a richer experience in the building, and the roof of the building is also partially submerged. People can further interact with birds at the large stairs on the roof.
During the dry season, the entire building is exposed to the water surface, providing more ample sunlight. The structural parts below the building are also exposed to the water surface, creating a beautiful light and shadow effect under the sunlight.
The role of the ancient city walls has faded, neglected by people. Inside the ancient city, conflicts arise between tourist and locals.
Four distincitve city gates and five tourist attractions, forming nine small nodes were selected. Among them, one node serves as a tourist center. Starting from here, cable cars and boat routes will connect them, returning the ancient city to its residents while enhancing tourists' experiences.
We extracting scenes from ancient paintings depicting Suzhou's past, including: boat painting, dye workshops, rice fields, gardens, artificial hills, markets, opera stages, houses, and nistling waterways. A total of nine scenes merging the old with the new, aming to activate node spaces, revive cultural memories, and preserve historial heritage
The ancient city wall of Suzhou has gone through the process of reconstruction from the earthen wall of the Sui Dynasty to the encased brick wall of the Five Dynasties period to the reconstructed wall of the Song Dynasty. During the nearly 700 years of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the city wall was destroyed and rebuilt many times. By 1952, Suzhou's city walls had 23 breaches, 16 collapses, 7 demolitions, 24 protrusions from the outer walls and 2 dangerous places. The walls were gradually encroached upon by factories and residential buildings, and the damage increased year by year. By 1986, only 5.02 kilometers of the old city wall remained, and the internal river was partially filled in.
Current Situation Analysis
Type 1 Restored City Wall
Status Neglected, negative
Treatment strategy To revitalize the space around the restored section of the Citadel, a node can be designed to cater to both tourists and the local community.
Type 2 Ramp
Status: Fabrication, void
Treatment strategy Design a conspicuous node to serve people in and out of the city; while respecting and restoring existing derelict areas.
Type 3 Waterfront
Status: Ignored, wasted
Treatment strategy: A water platform that probes into the water, an intersection that connects multiple nodes, a harbor and a public space.
Type 4 Broken Wall
Status Neglected, messy
Treatment strategy: Reorganize the urban fabric then mend the broken part in the form of installations. Provide services to the surrounding population.
Beishi Pagoda
Pagoda
Non-interfering living circles
Harbor
Visitor
Garden - Teahouse
The garden space is extracted and translated into a geometric space, which is then reorganized and arranged to form a new building. As a tea room, it provides a space for the neighboring residents to rest and chat; at the same time, it provides an opportunity for tourists to experience the tea culture.
Stage - Theater
Kunqu carries a strong implication of spatial topology as an explanation of the mixture of scene and character relationships, thus using the kunqu set as a body language, compressing the traditional theater stage on the wall while the audience is on the opposite side of the river.
Cornices - Cable car station
Using the imagery of the cascading rooftops of the Jiangnan houses, a new path on the rooftops has been constructed. As a main cable car station, it connects to other nodes, and provides efficient traffic way for travellers. The cable car offers visitors the possibility to admire the fifth façade of the old city of Suzhou from the air.
Fairs - Store
Utilizing the scene and form of ancient roadside markets, it breaks the traditional trade space where the vendors are inside and the customers are outside. This allows customers to freely enter and choose what to buy.
ICELAND BATH
A Spiritual Fortress on Black Beach
Academic Project
Solo Work
Instructor: Muchi Chen
Site: Black Beach, Iceland Winter 2023
The Roman Baths were the source of inspiration for this project. Baths in ancient Rome were not only for bathing, but also for socializing. They even had libraries, gyms, art galleries, etc., and were a complex of entertainment and public activities in the city.
But perhaps, the bathhouse can have more special attributes. Imagine soaking in warm water in the ice and snow, surrounded by silent black sand beaches, and looking up at the aurora in the sky. This is the best place for natural enlightenment. Therefore, I tried to combine theology, nature, enlightenment and bathing in this design. I try to use light and shadow to tell a story about enlightenment.
Walking through the narrow stairs to the underground, walking through the arcade of intertwined light and shadow, the huge dome space is revealed in front of you, the light shines from the circular hole in the dome, and time crawls through the circular wall. After bathing, you go up the huge steps. The light passes through the gap in the end wall and becomes a guiding point. Going around the wall, the transparent dome presents everything outside in front of you.The story reaches its climax here.
Project Introduction
As a seaside bathing beach, this project extracts and translates the plane, structure, space, form and other elements of the church, trying to create a spiritual fortress on the black sand beach of Iceland and provide a new way of communication between people and nature. I hope to use light and shadow to design a special divine space and achieve natural enlightenment.
Site elements extraction
Loneliness is the first impression given by Iceland's black sand beaches. The ocean, black sand and white waves form a strong contrast. At the same time, the strong wind, snowy mountains and broken ice give the place a spotless and mysterious feeling. This reminds one of the monasteries built far away from the city in the past.
SEABIRD
Site plan
STILL
Entering along the downward steps, the water screen blocks part of the view and light is shed into the room from the water screen.
RIPPLE
SPRAY VAPOR
The steam room is only open to a thin strip of overhead light along one side of the wall, and the light changes over time on the wall. The shower area on the side of the arcade is a small, self-contained, half-vaulted space, where the shadow of the space arch is cast on the rough walls.
DRIP WAVE
The spa room is a narrow, high-ceilinged space with rough-textured walls and sunlight cast through a circular opening at the top. The baths are in a larger domed space to the side of the main bath, with overhead light bringing a sense of sanctity as people lie in the pool and look up at the sky.
The long strip of pool under the arcade goes from shallow to deep, bringing guidance, sunshine and breeze are the theme here.
FLOW ARCADE
A wide, open space under an almost fully open roof, where one experiences the transformation from a warm indoor to a semioutdoor space.
A dim transition space, the shape of light is clearly projected on the wall.
STAIR
The large steps leading upwards only have a light-transmitting gap on the highest wall, giving it a strong sense of sanctity.
The original idea of the Icelandic baths came from the Roman baths. I hope that this design can bring more experience to the simple act of "bathing". Since ancient times, monasteries have been built in places far away from crowds of people to
help ascetics achieve enlightenment. The project chose the black sand beach of Iceland as the site, hoping that the sharp contrast between the indoor warmth of the bathhouse and the extremely cold outdoor climate would enhance
people's spiritual feelings. When people soak in the central bath, the circular wall made of fair-faced concrete blocks the line of sight, allowing people to focus more on the current environment. The huge dome is unreachable, with a large
circular hole cut out of the top. Sunlight shines in from here and moves slowly with the movement of the sun, filling this space with a sacred atmosphere. The rough surface contrasts with the fairfaced concrete, making it feel like you are in a huge natural cave. Loneliness is the theme here, and here we explore theology, man and nature, and natural enlightenment
Central bath
OTHER WORKS
Some Projects with Deep Memory
Fall 2016 - Fall 2019
Works in KTH
Fall 2024
Work Experience in UDG
Summer 2021- Spring2023
Work Experience in CSS
Winter 2023- Summer 2024
In addition to professional architectural design courses, some other meaningful ideas or projects in the undergraduate study life will be elaborated in this collection.
The Pervasive Mountains
Mountain rocks are always an important part of Chinese traditional architectureal culture
Starting from a piece of ancient poetry, according to the time and space of the story, the imagination and connection of different spaces are completed, and mountains and rocks are used as elements to form the space of different scenes. The spatial scale of the scene is different, but the scales of the rocks in the real space are the same. Therefore, the rocks of the same scale are used to refer to the elements of different scales, and four scale spaces of bonsai, rockery, landscape painting and mountains are created respectively.
The scene features simple time and space transitions as well as euphemistic sentiments, with the central theme being "The caring is being upset by the uncaring." By combining the solidity of a wall with the ethereal quality of a rockery, an atmosphere reminiscent of traditional Chinese landscape paintings was created.
The
Frame scenery is one of the common landscaping techniques in Suzhou gardens. Viewers can dialogue with the scenery through the "frame". Through the placement of light art installations, we slightly intervene in the campus night scene environment to brighten up the historical buildings and realize the dialogue between people, architecture and the environment.
Frame | Lighting Installation Design
The Pervasive Mountains
PVC expansion sheet, wood, rocks Team work Winter,2020
2021 Asian Design Award Excellent Award Team work Winter,2021
WHAT IS PCM?
Research from School of Industrial Engineering Mangement (ITM)
There are several ways to store energy, but one of the most promising technologies for storing thermal energy is by using the properties of PCM:s (phase change materials). The name refers to the change between solid, liquid and gaseous states that materials can inhabit. One of the most common of these are water, and one can easily make an experiment at home to see thow this science works for yourself.
PCM functions by maintaining a constanttemperature during phase transitions, allowing for efficient sensible heat storage. By understanding the transitional range of your PCM, you can optimize heat storage. For instance, when water reaches 100°C on the stove, it stops rising in temperature because it’s in a transitional state and cannot exceed this temperature in liquid form.
What is the Community Battery?
Conventional battery technology is a fast moving field where innovations can quickly change the requirements and possibilities of their capacity and use. Therefore our solution for the community long term electricity storage is one that is easily adaptable and adheres to the most basic of principles and scales.
Solid state battery technology is the one breakthrough that the whole world is waiting for, and is said to change the game entirely when it comes to for instance electric car range. But noone can say for sure how long it will take for them to arrive, especially in large scale production. So until then our lithium ion cells will continue to be the most prevalent technology.
But what happens with them when the next technology inevitably hits the market? Will all our current batteries become obsolete? No. As stated in previous examples, the market for second life batteries is already a growing one. And the economic incentive to utilize every last charging cycle of a battery, wherever its origin, is and will remain great.
More Power from Solar Power
Solar energy, whilst today only providing a fraction of electric power in Sweden, remains an important source of energy. And as production of units continue to grow and they become cheaper to buy and install, even more efficiency is yet to come in the form of thermal energy harnessed in the process.
Already today this technology is used to great effect, but mostly in large scale solar farms. We envision that in the future this will become readily available and an excellent source for that little extra boost in heat production in our homes, much like it provideds a boost in electrical power. Today it works with the use of salt based PCM:s that operate in the range between 300 C and 800 C.
Our Own Little Bog
In almost all of our daily household production, some sort of biological waste is produced. And in the future as more and more of our packaging and appliances will be made in recyclable, perhaps organic materials the ability to make use of these carbon chains at the source is an excellent extra source of gas and heat.
The process works through fermentation. Bacteria are introduced to the organic waste and start to break it down. The process results in combustable biogas and a marginal heat gain that can be put to use in the lower temperature range.
PLAYGROUND
HOT SPRINGS COMMUNITY CHARGING STATION
Whether part of your daily commute, or the start of an adventure, without fuel in your tank you won’t get very far. In what form this fuel comes depends on the vehicle of course, and with rapid electrification of cars it is fair to assume that in a couple of decades most of the cars will have use of a charging port.
In this case, the community battery supports the power grid in this regard. An indicator in the center roundabout lets you know whether there’s power to be used, with additional information available on the screens.
Giving the hard earned energy back to the community that procured it. A ritual shared all over the world, but often tied to specific geological circumstances, now made artifi cial thanks to the residual energy harnessed from the communal battery. More than a typical shared space, this installment invites the resident for a luxorious pastime where one can meet a neighbour in a spontaneous yet relaxed environment. The conversation held about the energy stored indicated on the wall, and gossip of who might be especially wasteful. As the seasons change, the hot spring changes with them. Demand for what one lacks, and this well of life supplies
The playground is a vital part of any residential area. Not only a place for children play, but the inviting nature sets the scene for a wide variety of social activities for all ages.
This installation not only serves the imagination of a child and is an aesthetically pleasing center of a community. It also serves as an indicator for the underlying communal seasonal battery. The main pipe changes colour and emmits heat when discharged, thereby making sure that even in the coldest days of winter children can play as usual without the risk of freezing stuck.
RERegulate 1 Fabulous rule
This project reimagines a cliffside slope in Kungsholmen, Stockholm— currently occupied by generic housing—into a public landmark inspired by the Hollywood Sign. It proposes transforming existing structures into open cultural spaces (e.g., art museum, community hub) anchored by Sigurd Lewerentz’s St. Mark’s Church design. The church’s red brick materiality reflects Stockholm’s heritage, while its geometric, curvilinear forms harmonize with the terrain, creating light-shadow interplay. By blending tradition with modernity, the redesign aims to boost tourism through photogenic engagement (postcards, photography) while symbolizing the city’s architectural evolution, fostering socio-economic value via minimal yet impactful interventions.
REdistribute 1 Fabulous %
This proposal reimagines Gotland’s military resources—400 personnel, ~550 firearms, and SEK 1.6 billion allocated for infrastructure—into a cultural spectacle. Twenty firearms (1% of stock) and 3,000 rounds would be repurposed: molten iron from guns would create "sparkling iron fireworks" (inspired by China’s Dashuhua, heating to 1,500°C for dazzling spark showers), staged amid Visby’s medieval ruins. Gunpowder becomes souvenir mini-fireworks. Rooted in Swedish symbolism of flames (light, unity, memory), this fusion of heritage and innovation aims to transform military surplus into a tourist attraction, celebrating tradition while fostering communal engagement through luminous, ephemeral art.
REuse fabulous 1:1 Exhibition
For the final project, we will repurpose solid wood provided by the workshop and spolia collected from various sources. The core concept involves redesigning the wood into a functional stool and creating frames for two earlier posters. The chosen dark-toned wood, with prominent grain textures, contrasts starkly with the lighter spolia materials. This contrast is emphasized through deliberate reconfiguration and juxtaposition of the two materials. For the frames, a deconstructive approach is applied, combining materials of varied forms and colors to reimagine their structure. The project highlights sustainable reuse while exploring visual tension between natural wood tones and repurposed elements, merging functionality with aesthetic experimentation.
Work Experience at UDG Architects
Kunming FuDe Village Urban Village Resconstruction Project | City Complex
Project Architecture: Chao Wu
Contribution: As a team member, I joined the project in its competition phase, when we receive the basic information from the clients. This project is mainly divided into a commercial part and a residential part. The design of the commercial part follow the concept of office cluster with creative space, which is proposed by me. So in this process, I particited deeply from modeling to technical drawing. Besides I also particited in the plan of residential units
Team Member: Chao Wu, Meilan Li, Liusheng Song, Chalermrak Tearana, Luriya Lilo
Time of Participation: September - October, 2021
Project Location: Kunming, China
Haikou Happy Valley Planning & Design Project | Resident
Project Architecture: Chao Wu
Contribution: I joined the project from its schee design phase to construction design phase. This project is a comprehensive hotel and residential project, and our team is responsible for the residential part. I mainly designed a villa unit in a residential area, including plan, elevation design, plan drawing, modeling and rendering. In addition to this, the general floor plan of the project was also drawn by me.
Team Member: Chao Wu, Meilan Li, Liusheng Song, Chalermrak Tearana, Luriya Lilo
Time of Participation: March - September, 2022
Project Location: Sanya China
Note: the design & concept are mainly my proposal, and the drawings are done by me.
Note: all the drawings and renders are done by me.
ORTSH | Interior Design - Restaurant
Project Architecture: Guiqi Liu
Contribution: This project is an interior renovation of a protected building, with the client intending to use the space as a restaurant. I joined during the mid-to-late stages of the project, and my main responsibilities included: making design modifications and adjustments based on site conditions and client requirements; selecting materials for both soft and hard furnishings; choosing interior hardware, sanitary ware, and other items; creating detailed material lists; coordinating with material suppliers, contractors, and other stakeholders; and managing on-site coordination during the implementation process.
Team Member: Guiqi Liu, Li Lin, Irene Sun, Yuanfeng Gao
Time of Participation: November, 2023 - August, 2024
Project Location: Shanghai, China
Note: The photos are real-shot images taken during the project's implementation process and after its completion.
Work Experience at CSS Chris Shao Studio
TDOQZ | Interior Design - Sales Office
Project Architecture: Guiqi Liu
Contribution: This project is an interior design project for a sales center. I joined during the early design phase and was primarily responsible for: proposing the overall concept, creating collages to express the design concept, and designing the reception area at the entrance as well as the sand table display area, including modeling and rendering.
Team Member: Guiqi Liu, Li Lin, Irene Sun, Qixuan Yu, Chaoyang Zhang, Damen Chen, Siqi
Time of Participation: July - Augest, 2024
Project Location: Quanzhou, China
Work Experience at CSS Chris Shao Studio
ZHASH | Interior Design - Showroom
Project Architecture: Guiqi Liu
Contribution: This project is an interior design project for a showroom. I joined during the early design phase and was primarily responsible for: designing two second-floor bedrooms and their corresponding bathrooms based on the overall concept, including modeling and rendering; selecting soft and hard furnishing materials during the mid-stage of the project; and coordinating with material suppliers and other stakeholders.
Team Member: Guiqi Liu, Li Lin, Irene Sun, Qixuan Yu, Chaoyang Zhang, Damen Chen, Siqi, Yuanfeng Gao
Time of Participation: March - Auguest, 2024
Project Location: Shanghai China
Note: the design & concept are mainly my proposal, and the drawings are done by me.
Note: the design & concept are mainly my proposal, and the drawings are done by me.
