Ye Zi 叶 子

About

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YE ZI / Yay-Tes /

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EDUCATION

Interior Design BA (Hons), Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh

Interior Design MA, Royal College of Art

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EMPLOYMENT

Junior Designer, Xu Studio Architect Design Company, Shanghai, China

Assistant Architect, Fusion Architect Company, Shanghai, China 

Internship, Dongjian Group Company, Design Department, Hangzhou, China

Internship, Baiguan Architecture & Interior Design Company, Hangzhou, China


Contact

Degree Details

Statement

Originally from China. I am committed to exploring the fusion between space, culture and materials, and am interested in the narrative and psycho-emotional aspects of design space. I graduated from Edinburgh College of Art and am currently studying at the Royal College of Art. I received the school's Outstanding Graduate award and a three-year school scholarship. During the epidemic I took a break to work in Shanghai to observe and learn new trends and fashions, gaining experience in a variety of projects at different scales. I have worked in schools, hotels, retail and residential projects.

Opinion Square

This project aims to assist in the urban regeneration of Lowestoft, the easternmost city in the UK and focuses on the renovation and redevelopment of a long-abandoned old post office on the high street.

This project is going to give people the freedom to find their own way to spread their ideas and let free minds collide. With the aim of bringing cultural renewal, vitality and energy back into the heart of the city.

Context

Site Situation
Site Situation — The Lowestoft Post Office is a now long-abandoned block of buildings, the foyer facing London Street is a Grade II listed structure, the earliest part of which (the ground floor front range) dating to the late 19th century. The building consists of seven separate blocks that were added to several times, starting in the Edwardian period of the 20th century and continuing through the post-war period. We have given them special names.

Development

Town centres are changing all over the Country. We are seeing fewer retail units and more service and leisure units. A strong cultural identity is essential for our town centre’s survival. It has wide sandy beaches, two piers and other attractions. But now that tourism and fishing have both declined, the city is looking for plans to rejuvenate itself.

This whole body of architecture gives me a sense of individuality and interconnectedness, a harmonious presence. Each building is very different in structure and materials and has its own details, such as the style of doors, windows and staircases. Just like the city of Lowestoft, the locals and the pensioners and the visitors come from different cities and backgrounds and have different cultures, but live together. It reminds me of a jam session as a recreational activity. So I wanted to strengthen the overall coherence of the site and provide a large stage where culture, ideas and art could meet. It is a place where everyone is welcome, where different cultures can spread and where people want to stop and refresh themselves.

I have named it Opinion Square.

Strategy

While offering stages for the speakers, I'm also going to bring them listeners. I did research on how to draw people with no specific purpose to a place and I find freshness and delicious foods are two keywords that draw people's attention.
So multiple stages, what am I going to offer people to do here? I want to let them host whatever they want.
I offer four main stages that can be pre-booked or popped into, they can be interior or exterior. with shelves or without shelves. In daytime, nighttime, summer or winter. This place is going to be a perfect party area for all different types.

Final Visual

The South Bar
The South Bar — This is a vivid place and draws people from the high street from the central city to the site. And this bar is a multiple usage stage as well!
Multi-usage of the Central Square
Multi-usage of the Central Square
Stair Theatre
Stair Theatre — I redesigned the fire escape stage and cooperated with the Marine theatre as they're offering interesting performances for the festival in summer and I'm going to make this place a permanent performance stage that people can watch every year. This venue can fit a maximum of three hundred people.
Debate
Debate — Lowestoft has a lot problems to discuss, the NHS service, the physical health of the elderly, the mental health of the younger generations. And Brexit, of course, the policy of economic renewal, this is a place for people to talk and discuss things. It could be generations' differences debate it could be citizens' and governments' debate. this place could be pre-booked and host discussions that need to be solved.
Social Gaming
Social Gaming
Cinema
Cinema — Usually, people would like to do the cinema night on the beach in the summer, but this place is going to host the event all year long. it has nice seats, background and canopy and these can be suitable for many situations and could be the host for the society for schools and children. The canopy is made of the truck tarp with spindles and can be put away.
Cinema
Cinema
Reading Stage
Reading Stage
Reading Room
Reading Room — This reading room is going to pick up seasonal scenes, books and magazines as supplementary reading in sync with the venue's events, drawing people in while spreading culture such as music and theatre.
The North Entrance
The North Entrance
Food Market
Food Market — And the food market, the rest of the area is working as the food market with this cute small trolley in the normal days. the idea also comes from the red frame. There are rails on the grounds to make it easier to push and store the trolley.
Food Market Gallery
Food Market Gallery

Event Post

Main events that are coming up this SUMMER!