Jiakun Liu

I am a designer from Guangzhou in Southern China. I studied graphic design and interior design at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. After graduating I spent time working in graphic design, public space art and interior design. Then I was awarded a full scholarship to study at RCA by the China Scholarship Council(CSC).

I am very interested in the translation of two-dimensional graphic design compositions into three-dimensional space and am deeply influenced by deconstructionism. I love the complexity of the components and the dynamic language of visual impact. I believe in the narrative nature of space and materials, especially how people feel when they are in space. After the impact of the epidemic, we have spent more time indoors and it is time to think more about and focus on how interior spaces change people's lives.

Exhibitions

"Work In Progress show", Royal College of Art 2022, London

"John Hejduk: London Masque / Transitions display", Royal Academy of Arts 2022, London

To Touch the Sky - Future Aerophobia Healing Hub

The project focuses on a future when the transport system will be transformed over the next fifty years. The increasing use of eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicle) will make urban transport more convenient and faster, but new flying machines, like other new technology, bring with them a number of anxieties: the fear of flying, also known as Aerophobia, will become a more common psychological problem among the population.

People may have been born with a fear of heights or may have had accidents and exceptional circumstances whilst flying, or they may have a distrust and negative image of technology. These conditions make this group of people face long-term psychological problems and inconveniences in their lives.

In response to the growing number of flight anxieties, Future Flight Company and the NHS have set up a counselling and treatment centre in a future Vertiport at the Chisenhale Works for the treatment of fear of flying. The project attempts to combine basic anxiety treatment with treatment for Aerophobia, transforming it into a positive architectural experience and a therapeutic flow to cure people's fear of flying. This is achieved by reusing materials from the original site, reconfiguring different architectural forms and materials, implicitly giving patients a change from familiarity to insecurity to demonstrate the extent of their treatment and progress, and emotionally evoking the experience of the space.

The scheme allows these patients to reconnect to flying transportation after treatment by linking the two functions of the treatment centre and the vertiport, transforming the eVTOL Aircraft ride into a positive flying experience.

The character Leeloo, is from the film <The Fifth Element>

We see what if some future people are afraid of heights?

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Film

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13'07

Aerophobia treatment journey – The treatment programme uses general institutional approaches to treating anxiety disorders, such as counselling, relevant courses, activities etc. In addition, a combination of treatment for fear of flying, using exposure therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy, provides cognitive and practical change activities

The scheme needs to link the two functions of the treatment centre and the vertiport, allowing these patients to reconnect to the sky after treatment.

The production of the palimpsest involves both actions of erasure and addition. The first erasure is where parts of buildings may be removed in order to make way for the new. The second erasure is when new additions cover or mask the old with the new.

In response to the growing number of flight anxieties, Future Flight Company and the NHS have set up a counselling and treatment centre in a Vertiport at the Chisenhale Works for the treatment of aerophobia.

I tried to deconstruct the existing site materials and then experimented with different material fragments to reconstruct them.

I built new structures by reusing existing metal materials and grafting on existing structures to support them, including the platform of the healing pod and the flying station.

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Short video

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1920px*1080px

GF-Healing Centre and Aircraft station Entrance

CHAPTER 03 / Treatment1 / Learning, Images

There is no structure in the middle of this floor that falls to the ground on this level so that when they look up, it is as if they are seeing clouds floating in the sky.

GF - Lounge and Class room

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Images

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1920px*1080px

1F - Rest area / Community – There is a space for patients to rest and eat and chat, as well as three counselling rooms to provide professional counselling to patients.

1F - Counceling Room – These futuristic spherical spaces are the counseling rooms, inspired by the eggs in the bird's nest, which were wrapped in this space for their initial protection when they were not yet able to 'fly'.

CHAPTER 04 / Treatment2 / Communication, Images, GIF

Section – this space also runs through the upper floors to the roof, bringing natural light and images of flying aircraft into the room, constantly stimulating the patient's imagination of the sky.

Glass staircase – One of the symptoms of Aerophobia is that people afraid of heights, and they need to overcome their fear and walk through the transparent stairs to get to the next floor.

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Images, GIF

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1920px*1080px

2F - Flying healing pod landing pad

CHAPTER 05 / Treatment 3 / Flying Healing Pod, Images

Take off and Landing Pad – The therapy tour will take around Victoria Park for about an hour. The process utilises exposure therapy. Through appropriate guidance in exposing the patient to the air, allowing her to overcome her fear of flying.

Inside Flying Healing Pod with therapist – During the process, the therapist is constantly helping the patient to solve problems and can find the exact treatment according to each individual's reflection

When the tour ends the pod will be landing on the floor of the station (3F) to complete the whole treatment process

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Images

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1920px*1080px

3F - Flying vehicle station

3F - Pilot and passenger rest area – Arriving on the third floor here is the pilot and passenger rest area, the feeling of the materials is completely different from downstairs, all feel futuristic and floating

Ramp

Future flying vehicle

SectionB – The station is inserted into the building like the shape of L. To get to the aircraft hub, you have to take the lift or use the ramp.

END –

At the end of their journey in the hub, Leeloo finally overcomes her fear of flight and returns to the sky.

This time she was no longer afraid to fly but enjoyed the sky within her touch.

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Images

Size:

1920px*1080px

Jiakun Liu

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Royal College of Art