Jiawen Li

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Can a space improve people’s attitude towards a critical topic?

This project aims to strengthen people’s understanding of the global sea level rising crisis. Physical demonstrations are considered a stronger way than two-dimensional information.

As a result, the original toilet block in Shoreham-by-sea is converted into apparent residential dwelling space, and a duplicate version is added nearer the sea to be eroded. Sea-damaged domestic elements are represented in the two open houses. This creates a journey of contrasts—— firstly by experiencing a preview of the crisis and secondly by witnessing the after-submerged interior.


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  • Education Background：
  • - College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University (2016-2020)
  • - Swinburne University of Technology (2019)
  • - Royal College of Art, MA Interior Design (2020-2022)

Hi, I'm Jiawen Li (Jessica)! :)

With a BA education background in Environmental & Interior Design, I continued my study here, at the RCA, to not only explore how places can be linked to people but also how to put my own attitude and personality into my creations.

I am passionate about making and creating all sorts of things: illustrating, handicraft making, tufting, motion graphics making, and so forth. This habit makes me always want to look at those things made by either nature or humans' hands in space, and think about how these randomly made textures can do to communicate the space to users.

In this project, I got the chance to experiment with this idea. By using the phenomenon of sea erosion effect on different materials, <The mirrored Erosion Houses> are designed to demonstrate physically, the sea level rising.


Model Demonstration - Sea Level Changes Interior

Attention! Drowned homes! Since the sea level rising crisis is no longer news to us, we always take it for granted when we see the warnings. The Sea Level crisis must be demonstrated! Two mirrored houses are designed at the seaside to provide visitors with a visceral impression of sea damage.

Medium: Acrylic, Chemiwood, Plaster, Foamboards, Stainless Steels

Size: 500*800*200mm

NO.1 - Site Analysis & Exploration

According to the data from NASA, the sea level has risen 102mm since 1993, with the best estimate of the rate of global-average rise over the last decade being 3.6 mm per year (0.14 inches per year). Our site is a 30m*5.4m square toilet block in Shoreham-by-sea, and it is 127 metres away from where the lowest tide sits. All the places marked red will be submerged under the sea by 2050, according to Sea level rise and coastal flood risk maps -- a global screening tool by Climate Central (2022).
[Image 2 - Interior elements erosion tests]
[Image 2 - Interior elements erosion tests] — We can usually see people's behaviour through the handmade ceramic tiles, the used RCA design studio's floor, and handwritings. So when I look back to the site, I found pebbles! You can see how SEA EROSION behaves by looking at them closely. And these yellow pieces are experiments on interior elements done by the tumbling machine. They proved that physical demonstrations are considered a much stronger way than 2D graphics.

NO. 2 - Spacial Strategy - The Duplicated Houses

In the project, I'd like the space to talk about the issue by itself by demonstrating the crisis. So in order to show the difference between the block before and after being eroded, a duplicate version of the toilet block is added nearer the sea to be eroded. This creates a journey of contrasts—— firstly by experiencing a preview of the crisis (in the House-2020) and secondly by witnessing the after-submerged interior (in the House-2050).
[volum models experiments]
[volum models experiments] — The ramp and the middle square box are the main architectural insertions. The reason for using a ramp is that it can visually enhance the process of water level change, the colour of the water on the ramp will change from deep green to light green gradually.
axo drawing
axo drawing
axo drawing2
axo drawing2

NO. 3 - Homely Environment

In the aspect of the interior, both houses are converted into an apparent residential dwelling space. Because in the duplicated house, sea-damaged domestic elements will create feelings of fear over feelings of familiarity.
Concrete, metal, iron rods, and fogged glass are used as the main materials. All the domestic elements are cast with concrete so that they can show how the sea changes gradually without being destroyed immediately just like timber structures.

NO. 4 - Scenario Visuals

Entrance - House 2020
Entrance - House 2020
Entrance - House 2050
Entrance - House 2050
Words of warning at the end of the water tank - House 2020
Words of warning at the end of the water tank - House 2020
Walk Flow Guidance - The Middle Beach hut
Walk Flow Guidance - The Middle Beach hut
Information Station - The Middle Beach hut
Information Station - The Middle Beach hut
Window Views - House 2020
Window Views - House 2020
Window Views - House 2050
Window Views - House 2050