Work Samples Portfolio by David NI

Collective Workflow

Selected Architectural Works

Yuanqingzi Ni

PROFILE

My work explores spatial clarity, material precision, and the translation of drawings into built outcomes.

As a Deaf designer, I approach architecture through visual sequencing and heightened awareness of movement, proportion, and spatial relationships.

I am particularly interested in the intersection between architecture and interior environments, where detailing, assembly logic, and disciplined execution shape coherent spatial experiences.

YUANQINGZI NI

B Arch Candidate | Graduation: December 2025 San Francisco, CA | 415-606-7422 | Libertflyer_Ni@outlook.com

YUANQINGZI NI

Open to relocation within the U.S.

415-606-7422

Libertflyer_Ni@outlook.com linkedin.com/in/david-ni-278537253

B Arch Candidate | Graduation: December 2025 San Francisco, CA 1

EDUCATION SKILLS

Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch)

School of Architecture | Academy of Art University San Francisco. CA | 2018 - 2025

WORK EXPERIENCE

Collaborative Design-Build Assistant Academy of Art University | San Francisco, CA Feb 2026 - Present

• Assisted in fabrication and installation of full-scale furniture prototypes

• Translated construction drawings into built components through joinery and assembly

• Coordinated material preparation and installation sequencing

• Developed understanding of tolerances, detailing precision, and constructability

Software

Rhino / Revit / AutoCAD / Sketchup

Adobe Photoshop CC / Adobe InDesign / Adobe Illustrator

Lumion / Twinmotion

Environmental & Analysis

Climate Consultant

Fabrication & Representation

Handmade physical models (wood, chipboard and concrete)

Course

ARH 510 Studio 9:Thesis Preparation & Developement

ARH 550 Studio 10:Final Thesis Project

Instructor

Sameena Sitabkhan / Rebal Knayzeh

Site 1 Ferry Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94105

Semester Spring 2025 & Fall 2025

01 / DEAFSPACE

Inclusive, Sensory & Culture Space

Project Statement

This thesis explores how architecture can actively support visual communication and sensory equity for Deaf users.

Located at Ferry Plaza in San Francisco, the project adapts an existing waterfront structure into a Deaf-centered mixed-use hub integrating culture, learning, and housing. Spatial strategies such as open sightlines, curved circulation, and acoustic material systems support signed interaction, intuitive navigation, and collective awareness.

DEAFSPACE PRINCIPLES

Visual Communication & Spatial Awareness

Limited Visibility Expanded Sightlines

Acoustic Interference

Restricted Interaction

Face-to-Face Gathering

DeafSpace principles guide the project by prioritizing visual communication, spatial awareness, and sensory clarity. Circulation and spatial thresholds are designed to support face-to-face interaction and reduce visual interruption for Deaf users.

SITE ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS

A decibel analysis of the Ferry Plaza waterfront reveals distinct acoustic conditions across the site. High-noise areas occur near traffic corridors and public gathering zones, while interior and waterfront areas remain quieter. These gradients inform the program distribution, placing public cultural functions in louder zones and locating learning and residential spaces in acoustically buffered areas.

SITE

DESIGN STRATEGY

Circulation flow and program stacking organize the spatial structure and generate the building

Exploded

Program blocks are organized through a circulation spine and layered spatial stacking to generate the final building form.

Private / Quiet

Semi public / Controlled

Public / Active

HOUSING

Initial Mass Functional layering Vertical Organization

Horizontal Organization

SECTION B-B'

SCALE: 1/16''=1'-0

URBAN CONTEXT SECTION

FERRY PLAZA WATERFRONT

Ferry Building

Deaf Cultural Center

CITY LEGEND

ACOUSTIC MATERIAL STRATEGY

Reduces visual glare while maintaining transparency, supporting clear sightlines and visual communication in quiet learning environments.

Provides warm visual texture while enhancing sound absorption in larger public gathering spaces..

Offers visual stability and durability while supporting controlled acoustic conditions for focused signed interaction.

Mitigates exterior noise intrusion while maintaining material continuity between indoor and outdoor public spaces.

Low-Reflection Laminated Glass Panel

Exterior Acoustic Absorption Panel

Exposed Concrete Wall with Acoustic Treatment

Perforated Wood Acoustic Panel

The entrance plaza is designed as a visual gathering space that supports face-to-face interaction and spatial awareness within the Deaf community.

Course

ARH 450 Studio 8: Housing and Integrated Design

Instructor Kotting Luo / Paul Adamson

Site 222 19th St, Oakland, CA 94612

Semester Fall 2024

02 / COLLECTIVE HOUSING

A Mixed-use Housing Project

Project Statement

This mixed-use housing project explores how architectural organization can support collective living in a dense urban environment.

Centered around a shared courtyard, the building combines modular housing units with open circulation and communal spaces, encouraging visual connection and everyday social interaction among residents.

URBAN CONTEXT + BUILDING FORM

SITE SETBACK

STRUCTURAL FRAMWORK

A regular column grid establishes the primary structural framework for the collective housing. The vertical structure organizes the residential modules while maintaining flexibility for communal spaces and circulation. This system allows repetitive housing units to be efficiently stacked while preserving visual openness and spatial connectivity.

The housing layout organizes units around a shared courtyard, with circulation balconies encouraging visual connection between residents.

Bedroom

19TH ST

First Floor Plan Scale 1/8''=1'-0

SECTION + FACADE STUDY

The sectional perspective highlights the courtyard-centered circulation system and stepped residential terraces.

Section B-B'

Elevation 1

Elevation 2

Course

ARH 450 Studio 7: Tectonics and Structure

Instructor

Simon McKenzie / Eva Chiu

Site

Hamilton Recreation Center / 1550 Scott St, San Francisco, CA 94115

Semester Spring 2024

03 / CULTURAL FRAME

Inclusive, Sensory & Culture Space

Project Statement

Culture Connection is an interactive cultural center in San Francisco’s Fillmore District, shaped by the layered histories of Japanese, African American, and American communities. The project translates cultural exchange into spatial relationships rather than symbolic form alone. Elevated platforms, shared voids, and visual connections link exhibitions, workshops, performances, and public gathering spaces. A modular timber structure and patterned envelope reference traditional construction techniques while allowing flexibility and openness. By blurring boundaries between public and semipublic zones, the project encourages everyday interaction, collective memory, and community engagement.

30,000 SQFT SITE

SITE SET BACK 15FT. RAISE UP TO 40FT

SITE ZONING

LIFTED MASS FINAL STRUCTURE

Second floor

Third floor

Fourth floor

Geary Blvd Section

Scott St Section

Wall Section Detail

Course

ARH 350 Studio 6: Site Condition and Building Performance

Instructor

Sameena Sitabkhan / Ross McCarthy

Site Angel Island

Semester Fall 2023

04 / ECOLOGICAL ODYSSEY

Environmental

Studio

Project Statement

Biodiversity Odyssey is a visitor center and environmental exhibition located on Angel Island, designed to reconnect people with the island’s evolving ecological systems. Inspired by natural cycles of decay, excavation, and regeneration, the project embeds architecture within the landscape rather than imposing upon it. Elevated platforms and lightweight structures minimize ground disturbance while framing immersive views of water, vegetation, and terrain. Through transparency, sectional layering, and adaptive circulation, the project creates a continuous dialogue between interior and exterior spaces, encouraging visitors to experience biodiversity as a living, dynamic process rather than a static display.