APPLICATION TO MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE PART II
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Neighbourhood center above canal
Free market for citizen
Senior community
Design of senior community in the old city center
Tea house residence
Homestay in countryside
Cycle within recyle
Reshape the urban remains
Other works
Works in university
Ziyi.Zhong
UUN:S2881196
2021-2025
Ziyi Zhong
Email: zhong-ziyi@outlook.com | Tel: +86 13770783139
Location: Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU)
Bachelor of Engineering with honors in Architecture
Program: Joint program between XJTLU with University of Liverpool (UK)
GPA: 64.5/100 (Expected as Upper Second Class Degree)
Suzhou, China
01/09/2021 – 31/07/2025
Relevant Modules: Humanities and Architecture, Small Scale Architectural Design, Architectural Theory, Design Thinking and Articulation, Introduction to Environmental Science, Structures and Materials, Architectural Technology, History of Western Architecture, Construction and Materials, Urban Studies, Environmental Design and Sustainability, Design and Building Typology
Shanghai TYCHE Spatial Design Shanghai, China
14/06/2024 – 14/07/2024 Intern
• Delivered high-quality furniture models and renderings for commercial interior design projects, supporting chain brands such as Suzhou Sweet Star Phoenix Street Store and Paris Baguette Qingdao MixC Store.
• Produced precise technical drawings to reduce revision cycle and ensure alignment with client specifications.
• Identified and resolved structural design issues, enabling faster project approvals and smoother production workflows.
• Engaged in client meetings, integrating feedback into designs to improve client satisfaction and project outcomes.
• Skills obtained: furniture modeling (SketchUp, AutoCAD), problem-solving, client communication, teamwork
XJTLU UAV Association
Head of Publicity Department
Suzhou, China
01/09/2022 – 30/06/2023
• Enhanced member engagement by designing and organizing weekly workshops on UAVs assembly and aerial photography, consistently attracting 20+ participants per session.
• Optimized budget planning and reporting processes, achieving 100% funding approval for all activities while maintaining full transparency.
• Skills gained: UAV operation and assembly, event promotion, workshop facilitation, financial planning
Club Program Office of XJTLU Suzhou, China
Head of Publicity Department
01/09/2021 – 30/06/2023
• Led the planning and execution of 2021 and 2022 university-wide club recruitment events, successfully attracting 3000+ students to participate in over 160 clubs.
• Directed a team of 12 members in creating promotional materials (logos, posters, and social media content) to increase event visibility.
• Streamlined internal processes for event preparation to enhance collaboration efficiency across departments.
• Skills gained: event planning, graphic design (Photoshop, Illustrator), team coordination, process optimization
University Academic Excellence Award of XJTLU
SKILLS
Computer Skills: AutoCAD, Rhino, Grasshopper, SketchUp, V-Ray, D5, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, CapCut, PowerPoint, Excel
Languages: Mandarin Chinese - Native, English - Advanced, Spanish - Conversational Hobbies: Badminton, Soccer, Singing
2023-2024
Ziyi Zhong
Applying for Master of Architecture Part II, The University of Edinburgh
As a child, I was obsessed with hand-crafting and doodling, and the choice to major in architecture was a natural one. Four years into the field, I now know that the professional terminology for those things“shaping space” and “analysis mapping”. To this day, I still enjoy the aesthetic aspects and hands-on creation part of the subject, but I have had a major shift in perspective towards the potential, or in more exact terms, responsibility of architecture.
This shift originated in my third year of study, when I was tasked to design for a vacation homestay in the countryside of Suzhou. This project, located in Dongshan Island’s tea fields, challenged me to blend the local tea culture with the architectural design. Guided by my professor, I learned to approach each step with rigorous logic, using analytical diagrams to trace the essence of the local culture, including tea cultivation, community rituals, and agricultural landscape.
This experience inspired me that architecture is not just about shaping space, but uncovering the roots of a phenomenon, understanding the deepest needs, and addressing them through a meaningful narrative. I understood that only through in-depth research and understanding of the site, can one truly represent the local cultural characteristics and humanistic care in the design process.
It has been my academic interest since to employ design strategies and architectural languages to translate the uniqueness of each site and era into impactful solutions. My career goal is to create architecture that grows from its land, responds to its time, and meaningfully serves its users. As we face the rapid development and shifting societal needs, the future of architecture requires us to adapt, analyze, and innovate, and I believe that the MArch II program at the University of Edinburgh is the ideal environment for me to develop these skills.
The program’s focus on architectural research and critical thinking directly aligns with my career goal. The program encourages students to incorporate multi-disciplinary knowledge into architectural design, which I believe can enable that my design is both innovative and practical, by improving skills in logical analysis and critical thinking.
Through this program, I aim to enhance my skills in using new design technologies to shape the future of architecture, by attending modules such as Architectural Technology Research. Furthermore, Edinburgh’s rich historical architecture and diverse urban space provide a unique environment for architectural and urban studies. I am eager to explore research methods and techniques in such an environment, to enhance my analytical skills.
Finally, I would like to share an additional personal motivation - During my studies, I was fortunate to learn from a professor from the University of Edinburgh, whose teaching style emphasized logical thinking and focus to detail. His approach encouraged me to question the fundamentals of architecture, and has motivated me more to apply to this program to learn from the esteemed faculty and peer students.
This journey, from crafting doodles to exploring the depths of architectural responsibility, has shaped the way I view the profession. As I continue on this path, I am convinced that this program will equip me with the tools, knowledge, and resources, and help me realize the ambition in contributing to a future where architecture is meaningful and rooted in its cultural, environmental and social contexts.
Site : Gusu, Suzhou, China Project site 9000 sq.m.
Cheng Chi, the ancient term for a city in China, consists of two components: city and pond. The city refers to the defensive walls surrounding a city, while the pond represents the moat outside the city walls. Together, they served as strong fortifications and defined the city's boundaries. In Suzhou’s old town, people's lives are closely intertwined with water, and the moat plays a significant role as a link between the inner and outer city. In modern times, as the city rapidly expands, the area around the canal has evolved into an urban recreational space.
However, a large number of residents in the old town still require convenient passage, and the ancient bridges left on the river are insufficient to meet their daily commuting needs. Meanwhile, in the newer parts of the city, many young people are active. The canal divides the activity spaces of these two groups, creating an urgent need for a public space that facilitates interaction betwee n them.
The overall design is inspired by the ancient Athenian agora, a space that provided citizens with the freedom to engage in a wide range of activities. In such a space, users could define its purpose themselves, including product sales, cultural exchange, performancesThis concept aligns perfectly with the needs of the site. Therefore, this project aims to focus on creating a neighborhood center built around a bridge, incorporating ample flexible spaces.
Site: Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China Project site 56000sqm
Located in the heart of Suzhou's old town, "Zhonglou New Village" is the city's first modern residential community, with a history of nearly 60 years. Most of its residents are elderly. With the growing challenges of an aging population, many of these residences have become severely deteriorated. It is essential to carry out reasonable reconstruction and renovation of these homes.
Traditional Suzhou residences are mostly in the form of courtyard houses, and many of these old structures can still be found near Zhonglou New Village. However, most of them have fallen into disrepair and are no longer suitable for modern living due to changes in family structures. Despite this, the courtyard spaces created by these houses serve as excellent venues for resident interaction, especially for elderly individuals who have limited social lives. This project aims to explore the creation of a new residential community space tailored to the needs of elderly people in the modern era.
The public space in the old town is quite limited. The highlight of the architecture in the old town lies in its use of "enclosure," which provides a relatively private public space for residents and users, allowing for ample social interaction. Furthermore, the effective use of rooftop space further increases area of public spaces.
Site: Suzhou, Jiangsu province, China
Project size: 6300sqm
Suzhou is located on the shores of Taihu Lake, boasting abundant natural resources and a complex network of waterways. In recent years, with the continuous development of tourism around Taihu Lake, the number of tourists choosing this area for vacations has steadily increased, driving up the demand for accommodation. Meanwhile, due to changing preferences among young people, smaller guesthouses with multifunctional spaces have become increasingly popular.
Additionally, Dongshan Peninsula has a long history of cultivating Biluochun tea and a unique tea culture. This project is located in the mountainous area of Dongshan Peninsula by Taihu Lake, with the goal of building a guesthouse that reflects the local characteristics. By integrating tea culture into the guesthouse space and incorporating locally grown crops such as loquats and bayberries, the project aims to provide a promising and innovative solution for visitors.
Surrounding information
The project site is located on Dongshan Island in Taihu Lake, Suzhou. It is situated on a hillside in Nanwang Village facing Taihu Lake. Currently, this area is primarily used for cultivation, with crops such as loquats, bayberries, and tea grown from the foot to the top of the hill. The main path in the village is directly connected to the main road.Besides, there is a path used by villagers to access the planting area, which is frequently used during the harvest.
Detailed Plant Distribution and Characteristics in the Site
The main vegetation includes loquat, waxberry, and tea plants. Notably, the waxberry planting area features numerous lightweight steel frame structures, creating a unique landscape in the region. These structures not only facilitate the harvesting of waxberries but have also been repurposed by local residents for children's play, clothes drying, and social gatherings. Placing buildings within these spaces minimizes disruption to the existing vegetation while allowing residents to directly interact with the planted crops.
The design of the public space centers around the spatial requirements for tea production, using the production process as the core pathway throughout the area. Residential spaces are distributed in the remaining areas using a frame structure, seamlessly integrating living spaces with planting areas.
consumption.
The homestay building uses a lightweight steel structure as its frame, and the facade is made of locally sourced wood with high yield. This approach not only saves on construction materials but also helps reduce energy consumption. Building uses a lightweight steel structure as its frame, and the facade is made of locally sourced wood with high yield. This approach not only saves on
Site : Wuchang district, Wuhan, China
Buliding area: 350000 sq.m. Height: 247.8m
Group work members: Ziyi.Zhong & Ruoyu.Zhao
As China’s cities continue to grow at an unprecedented pace, the landscape is dotted with unfinished megastructures, known as urban voids.The cessation of these projects, often due to bankrupt developers or safety concerns, leaves vast stretches of underutilized space that waste valuable resources, contributing to environmental degradation and an inefficient use of land. Yet, these urban voids present a unique opportunity to rethink the future of urban spaces, transforming them into hubs of sustainability, innovation, and community engagement.
The function and condition of the surrounding buildings
The current situation of unfinished buildings
GROUP WORK
TUTOR: Lian.Tsien
DATE: 2022.9 - 2022.11
This is a design course based on tensile structures. We are attempting to stack and connect two layers of tensile structure spheres to create a more complex structural system. We use transparent plastic tubes and steel cables as the primary materials, with lock connectors as joints. After precise measurement and adjustments, we assemble the model, which can bear a load of up to 10 kilograms.
GROUP WORK
(Individual Design)
TUTOR: Richard Hay
DATE: 2023.3 - 2023.6
This is a structural design course based on the cantilever structure of theater stages. The biggest challenge of this course is designing the cantilever structure to pass the load test. In the design of the cantilever structure, the most important part is the core tube, which bears the maximum force. Therefore, we used the thickest 8mm wooden sticks to create this part. The wooden sticks used for the beams are thinner, 6mm, and connected with 3D printed structural components, while the diagonal braces are made from the thinnest 4mm wooden sticks. Ultimately, with even load distribution, the entire model can withstand a load of 5 kilograms from all the weights.
GROUP WORK
TUTOR: Giancarlo Di Marco
DATE: 2024.9 - 2024.11
This course focuses on wall design for environmental adaptation, using standard bricks for construction. The spaced wall bricks can be rotated to respond to environmental changes. By altering the gaps between the bricks, the path of light can be adjusted, improving indoor lighting and temperature conditions. This design also promotes natural ventilation in the building.
Design course
TUTOR: Peta Carlin
DATE: 2022.9 - 2023.12
This is a multifunctional space that integrates exhibition areas, a café, and art spaces. Located by the river in an ancient city, I incorporated water elements into the architecture and conducted in-depth research on the surrounding architectural forms, blending them into my design.
Public Theater Design in an Old Town
Design course
TUTOR: Gianmarco Longo
DATE: 2024.3 - 2024.6
This is a theater located in the old lane area of Shanghai's old city, which has been planned for demolition. A large area of the lane district is about to be torn down, and the old Shanghai lane culture will soon disappear. In the design, I tried to incorporate lane culture as much as possible, retaining the original layout style of the lanes to give users the feeling of walking through them. At the same time, I created theater spaces specifically designed for local elderly people and young newcomers, allowing these two groups to interact fully within the space. Through this project, I realized the importance of preserving and renovating cultural carriers.
Design course
TUTOR: Giancarlo Di Marco
DATE: 2024.9 - 2024.11
This course focuses on environment-based movable facade design. The project is a solution for the facade of a large community center located in a greenbelt area around the city wall. The facade can rotate its blades based on the environment to adjust the lighting effect inside, which is used for exhibition space.