Academic Portfolio, Revised 2015

PORTFOLIO

Key worKs 2009-2015

Elena Caroline Anker Wong, Architect MAA

curriculum vitae

13 - 15

09 - 13

05 - 08

The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts Masters programme

University of BathBsc (Hons) General Architectural Studies, First Class Honors

Oppegård Videregående SkoleDrawing, Form and Craft

EDUCATION

aug. - jan.2015

mar. - sep. 2012

feb. - may. 2011

Dark Arkitekter AS OsloArchitectural assistant + Coordinator

John McAslan + Partners LondonArchitectural assistant + CGI illustrator

INarchitecten AmsterdamArchitectural assistant

EXPERIENCE

Elena Caroline Anker Wong

feb. 2014

may 2012

april 2011

120 HoursStudent Competition

JMP Student Open Day

AC-CA Competition I London Olympic Pavilion

ACTIVITIES

SKILLS

3D Studio Max _Vray + Mental Ray I Sketch Up_Vray I AutoCAD I Photoshop I InDesign I Illustrator

Microsoft Office I Model Making I Laser cutting

REFERENCES

Philip CottrellArt Director, John McAslan + [email protected]

Alv SkogstadArchitect, Dark Arkitekter [email protected]

PERSONALIA

Augestadveien 23,1413 TårnåsenNorway

DK: (+4529407733)NO: (+47)[email protected]

D.O.B: 17.04.1989Nationality: Norwegian

_As coordinator I was given responsibility to organise and supervise other architectural as-sistants, as well as give out tasks and keep up the overall dialogue between architects and architectural assistants _Held a series of workshops in ‘introduction to 3DS Max’ for both architects and architectural assistants _Participated in both smaller and larger competitions, ranging in work from concept development, model making, visualisation and presentation layout_ Participated in team meetings and architectural discussions and site visits.

_Gained professional mentoring in 3ds Max and Photoshop_ was mainly responsible for visual communication, production of 3d models and representation of design proposals_ Worked independently under mentor, with direct guidance of- and in collaboration with ar-chitects and associate directors_ Participated in seminars and CPDs_ Responsible for men-toring new architectural assistants

_Participated in architectural competitions both i collaboration with other architects and independently_ Was responsible for several minor architectural- and interior design propos-als_ Prepared CAD drawings and presentations_ Participated in client meetings and on site.

_Participated in the ‘120’ international student competition, which gives the contestents 120 hours to complete a project from the release of the assignment to hand-in.

_Participated in organising an open day for prospective Part 1/Part 2 canditates and held a presentation about my placement and completed work at John McAslan + Partners.

_Lead and completed concept- and design development and completion of competition proposal on behalf of INarchitecten

The Rough Theatre | Experimental theatre

The Workhouse | Live/work collective

Juxtaposition | Abstraction of urban space

The Twisting Townhouse | Residential/urban infill

Festival Forest | Student competition

Suburbia | Residential/row houses

Space Regained | Photographic centre

CONTENTS

2012

2013

2013

2013/2014

2014

2014

2015

Basil Spence Project In a colaboration between the engineering- and architecture department, the 4th year ‘Basil Spence Project’ called for a temporary theatre and foyer on the site of the National Theatre, London. Embracing the spirit of experimental theatre, we called our structure ‘The Rough Theatre’, a theatre that is not authoratative nor conventional; it is ostentatious. The theatre was designed as a response to the concept of experimental theatre itself, how architecture expression could speak the same language as preformance, how the very con-cept of theatre could be turned and twisted into a new. This is why this theatre takes shape of a trasverse stage, a pop-up theatre, an urban discovery, an unexpected and confused element tucked between the existing National theatre and the London traffic.

FALL/WINTER 2012/2013 Location London Brief Theatre Type Engineer ing/Archi tecture col laborat ion Duration 1 Semester

Rough TheatreThe

University of Bath: Bsc (hons) General architectUral stUdies 2009-2013

AboveExterior visualisa-tion,view from the National Theatre

The stage is a place where the invisible can appear and has a deep hold on our thoughts. Most of life escapes our senses but the arts talk of patterns in which we can only begin to recognise when they manifest themselves as rhythms or shapes. We must prove that there will be nothing hidden up our sleeves and that what is experienced is pure. Anything less becomes apparent to anyone with a keen eye towards the work.

In Peter Brooks’ ‘The Empty Space’, he coins theatre in four different terms, but argues that the fundamental element is the roughness. All dirt defines the roughness from thephysical to the metaphysical; sweat, noise, confrontation, deliberation. Socially, the theatre will strive to cre-ate an appreciation for the totality of the theatre experience by being exposed to all actions of the theatre in its raw form, both internally and externally.

Architecturally, the theatre intends to create an urban landscape open to the public comprising a jungle of columns and array of lights, bring-ing dynamism and movement to an underused and almost derelict passage way, to remain even after the life of the temporary theatre.

ROOF

AUDITORIUM

SKIN

SUPPORTING STRUCTURE

PAVILIONS


CIRCULATION

MASSING

FACADE

RightInterior vi-sualisationView from audience

BelowExploded diagram


Reflection | Drawing a line across the middle of the auditorium one can consider one half to be a classic end stage formation and the other being its mirror im-age. Despite appearing as separate entities, they work in complete dependance to each other. Positioned in direct opposition, each half, each body, each audience member inevitably experiences a visual and mental connection with the other. A relationship extending from trust to tensionis created; emotions are exchanged either in accord or in battle, hence a confrontation is established.

Confrontation | The theatre takes the shape of a tra-verse stage, where the audience is on two sides, facing each other. The advantage of this seating configura-tion is in the intimate staging whereby the actors can use the audience for greater effect. It is best suited to scenes of confrontation, not only between actors on stage, but also between audience members.

Reaction | Spectators are given a deeper understand-ing of the performance when faced with the reactions of those sitting in front of them. Even when an actor may give their back to one half, the energy exuding from the given side will inform and enthral the people on the other side in a way unlike any traditional theatre would. The actors use the audience to their best advantage, engaging them not only with the performance but also with the connection between themselves.

Bottom leftExterior visualisationView under-neath

LeftGround floor plan + 1. floor plan

RightSketches, Process de-velopment

Opposite bottomExterior visualisa-tion,view from underneath

Next1:50 model,Balsa wood


CLOSED

The auditorium is en-closed within an envelope, where the solidity of the exterior is emphasised.

OPEN

A lightweight envelope acts as a veil exposing and accentuating the auditorium and the nature of its form.

SEPARATED

Still with its lightweight envelope, the auditorium acts as its own entity, independant from the skin.

CAGE

The structure is a predom-inant feature as it wraps around the auditorium acting as the primary support system.

BALANCED

The structure is minimised in order to open up the space below and to bring focus to the auditorium.

PROPPED

The auditorium is structur-ally independant and sits atop the structure.



Bachelor Thesis Project Situated in the outskirts of the industrial city of Gloucester, my chosen site sits on an old railway depot, revealing traces of unused railway tracks and a maintanence shed. Addidi-onally, the site echoes the ruins of a 19th century working class area that was the home of the poor and homeless. Today the UK suffers from unemployment and rising homelessness nationwide. How does one approach this increasing social issue? Homelessness and un-employment go hand in hand, so i have made it my agenda to create a community where the homeless and unemployed may live and work in a selfsufficient collective that may give hope that it may just be possible to adopt the prinicples of a pre-industrial life, for the benifit of people and local collaboration. A furniture recycling centre, wood workshop, lumber yard, forest. A cohousing scheme and a homeless shelter. Drop off, fix it up, sell it, earn to live and provide funds for the community.

WINTER/SPRING 2013 Location Glocester Brief Homeless shel ter/community Type Indiv idual Pro ject Duration 1 Semester

WorkhouseThe


AboveAerial PhotoGloucester


DROP

The workhouse offers a furniture recycling centre for the local community of Glouces-ter. Furniture and larger domestic items are often difficult to dispose of and can often be expensive and inconvenient. It will thereby offer an alternative to disposal by reuse and resell.

GIVE

All additional funding from the market hall income will run the emergency homeless shelter for those immediately affected by homelessness in the district

SELL

All refurbished furniture and new wood work will be sold in their market hall, fund-ing the organisation and in-house resi-dents.

FIX

The in-house residents are provided with wood working apprenticeships. Working with both furniture remake from the recy-cling centre and timber from their own forest in joinery, upholstery and finishing work-shops.

LIVE

Cut offs from all wood work and planted forest will be converted into biomass fuel and will alongside pv solarpanels present the workhouse as a selfsufficient com-munity. Communal common areas and dining, but private ensuite flats for the residents.

There are ensuite rooms for 21 in-house res-idents. The in-house residents will live, work, eat and interact within the community for a pe-riod of 3-12 months. The flats sit on the upper floors of the workshops, communal areas and emergency homeless shelter, with a shared internal hallway. The beds are placed on an additional mezzanine floor to exploit the ceil-ing height and grant more floor area without expanding the houses.

Top leftAxonometric drawingTypical housing unit

AboveFloor PlanTypical housing unit+VisualisationTypical housing unit

The residents’ housing

units

In developing the relation-ships between function, use and architectural language. an internal street is created, with the sheds being sep-arated from the active structure by an integrated corridor passage that will also con-nect the series of houses.


AboveLongitudinal Section, west

LeftProcess de-velopment,models, balsa wood

RightLongitudinal section, east



The 1 storey housing units that are set in between the 2 storey units are set back from the main structure but owns to a mutual cladding system. In doing this, the exterior expresses an adjacent cladding surface, which separates the appearance of the houses.

Connecting the

houses


LeftDetailed section

Bottom leftProcess de-velopment,Sketch mod-els, balsa wood

Bottom nextInterior visu-alisation,Finishing workshop

RightProcess de-velopmentSketch model, balsa wood


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IN / OUTGOING

COMMUNAL AREAEMERGENCYHOMELESS SHELTER1 SAWMILL/LUMBER STORAGE2 RECYCLING STORAGE UNIT3 RECEPTION4 MARKET HALL

WOOD WORKING

5 PLANT ROOM6 SUPERVISOR OFFICE7 WC8 JOINERY WORKSHOP9 UPHOLSTERY/DESIGN WORKSHOP10 FINISHING WORKSHOP

COMMUNAL AREAS

11 KITCHEN12 PLANT ROOM13 WC14 DINING HALL15 COMMON ROOM16 STUDY

EMERGENCY HOMELESS SHELTER

17 KITCHEN18 PLANT ROOM19 SHOWERS20 WC21 SEATING AREA22 RECEPTION23 MENS DORM24 WOMENS DORM


1. The timber members are fixed to the floor surface with prefabricated metal building components. These com-ponents fix the horisontal, vertical and diagonal mem-bers together. 2. Through customised cuts in the timber members on the outward side of the corridor structure, a double glazed window with aluminium frame is fitted. 3. A secondary timber frame is fitted in front of the alu-minium window frame, running flush with the structure to reveal the timber elements as one.

Composition

LeftGround Floor Plan+1. Floor Plan

AboveInterior visu-alisationTransition/corridor + dining hall

RightExterior visualisationBackyard

Above rightExploded diagramCorridor

The Royal Danish acaDemy of aRTs: masTeRspRogRamme, sTuDio: aRchiTecTuRe, culTuRe anD habiTaT 2013-2015

A Sense of Urban Space In this pre-project assignment the task was to make a 1:20 model of an emotional impres-sion of the Copenhagen facades. I chose to focus on the contrasting nature of the facade against the backyards. My intention with this expression was to display the facade as some-thing hard, something permanent, and the stories behind it as something everchanging and beautifully chaotic. Through the surfaces of the facade you may get a glimpse of that story, but it doesn’t truely unveil until you place yourself within the unknown. In a way, this compre-hention of a facade also speaks to the city as a whole, and the constant search for magic behind those closed walls and city blocks.

FALL 2013 Location Copenhagen Brief Abstract ion of urban gra in Type Indiv idual Pro ject Duration 2 weeks

Juxtaposition

Above1:20 Model,Painted balsa wood + MDF



An Urban Transition In the historically dence Store Kongensgade in Copenhagen, this street re-mains bound by its strictly gridded layout and rococo facades, whilst the true secret of the city is found in the backyards of the city blocks . The brief called for a residential/mixed use structure situated at a cornered site, to rejuvinate and lift the feel and experience of the area. My project aimed to create a transparency between the inner and outer world of these streets, and seek the irregular in regularity; to find a way to bring the backyard chaos in the ordered streetscape, and mould it into one entity.

FALL/WINTER 2013 Location Copenhagen Brief Urban Inf i l l Type Indiv idual Pro ject Duration 1 Semester

AboveSection Collage

RightFacade collage (day/night)+ VisualisationStreet view

Far rightExploded diagramTypical block

TwistingTownhouseThe


In the merging of the inner and outer space, there is a pattern that is trem-bling. Where the shell meets the torsoe, a new network of space is formed, where the ireggular melts into a new form of regularity; where the chaotic gains its order. The gap between the physical and the abstract is broken down where auton-omy claims its role.The relationship between the shell and the torsoe creates a transitional effect that changes with the movement along the street. The ridgid outline of the building thus becomes broken by the angular element that reveals itself to the pedestrian. The contextual framework is contained, yet introducing a curious new urban form.

Concept


AboveWest Elevation

LeftContextual plan

Next leftProcess development,models, white card-board

Next rightProcess development,Siteplan

RightExterior visualisation,Street view



LeftGround Floor PlanCreative office spaces

Bottom leftExterior visualisationCourtyard+Sketch models in planBalsa wood

RightPlan diagramsThreshold + circulation

Far rightInterior visualisationTypical housing unit

BottomFirst+ Second Floor PlanResidential housing units/appartments


The angles of the inner facade forms the ‘torsoe’ of the build-ing, as the formal grid of the outer facade forms the ‘shell’. The space between the angular shifts thus become part of the outer areas, setting the outline for these two conformative factors in the inner space.

The main circulation runs in 3 series of twisting hallways, sliced from the stairway shafts on the street facing side. Grazing the 3 lightshafts, the hallways gains natural light, whilst communicat-ing with the private circulation within the appartments.

Defining Måløv Måløv appears in the distance as the train from central Copenhagen stops. It opens up beneath the trainlines and closes up again as the emptiness of the artificial building devel-opment is apporaching. Cold, silent and grey.The project undertakes the issue of suburban development and is a proposal that looks at the individuality in the common. Every house built around the same basis, but broken up by the formation of the landscape. In a split ‘masterplan’ project between 3 students, we were each given a purpose of our plot, where mine would represent the ‘social hub’. In this respect i have focused on the formation of a suburban street with urban character and a common house for the residents in the area.

SPRING/SUMMER 2014 Location Måløv, Denmark Brief Residenta l development Type Indiv idual pro ject Duration 2 months

Suburbia

AboveExterior visualisa-tion,view down village street

RightProcess, Models in balsa wood





The organisation of the housing units derives from the natural formation of the landscape and the existing trail lines. The curved lines at site gave grounds for the idea of a housing ty-pology where threshold and split be-tween the units were given a central role and would bestow qualities that could play on the notion of indivituality and locality. The project was much inspired by American suburban housing, but with the attempt to individualise the ho-mogenous nature of similar housing projects.

Thresholds&

splits

RightExterior visualisation,Common house

Right bottom1:200 model,Cardboard + balsa-wood

LeftGround floor plan Common house + typical housing units

Left bottom1:200 models Cardboard + balsa-wood



AboveExterior visualisationview from lake

LeftPerspective SectionsTypical housing unit

Upper leftAxonometric drawing Typical housing unit

RightExterior visualisationBackyard

Far rightExterior visualisationCommon house

120 HOURS StUdent cOmpetitiOn 2014

‘120 Hours’ Embracing one of the main trails leading through the site, this structure forms a semi-enclosed passage between the two stages, both connecting and sepating the two areas. In doing this, the festival will gain a more intimate experience on either side, brought together by light, form and immediate interraction. In the ob-structions of the timber members, one is at once confronted with the movements of the flickering shadows and people passing through, and always coming out to a different stage on the other side. The language of the structure intents to form a dialog between organic and manufactured, challenging the relationship between the natrual and the man-made.

WINTER 2014 Location Norway Brief Faci l i tat ing socia l act iv i ty and env i ron menta l awareness through i ts presence as objects/meet ing point at Øya music fest iva l Type Compet i t ion Duration 120 hours

FestivalForest

LeftVisualisationUnder structure

AboveExploded diagramTypical timber column

Top rightStructure + siteplan

Bottom rightExterior visualisations

The ‘prototypes’ of the timber members’ speak to the uniformity in contemporary construction, but is broken down by the periodical trees piercing through the timber frame, and with the irregularities of the structure as a whole. The duality between these elements refer to the concept of human inva-sion and natural imitation, enforcing reflection upon this topic through built form. The structure can be seen as an artificial forest and an abstraction of the key associations we have of nature, being a struc-ture and an organism at once.

Living parallel to nature and using nature in the ev-erydaylife is a cultural phenomenon that lies deeply embedded within the Norwegian culture. By creating this man-made forest, it refers to the fundamental sense of being enclosed by natural elements, but also puts to question natures position in relation to the urban realm.

Why forest?

120 HOURS StUdent cOmpetitiOn 2014

The Royal Danish acaDemy of aRTs: masTeRspRogRamme, sTuDio: aRchiTecTuRe, space anD Time 2013-2015

Master Thesis Project The Government quarter in Oslo is defined by a concentration government offies, located in the north part of Oslos inner city, and is the location where Norway was forever changed by the bombings of july 22nd 2011. The buildings that were most affected by this incident were ’Y-blokken’ and ’Høyblokken’, which have been a subject to a major national debate in retrospect, concerning possible demolition or rehabilitation, and if they do in fact qualify as national heritage. In this context, the project aims to treat these two buildings as nation-al treasures, and use transformation as a tool for the development of new urban space. Instead of government offices, the buildings are assigned a new function as photographic centre + photography school, which aims to reactivate the area as a new cultural and social hub in Oslo. The project also aims to provoke the existing architecture and suggest how transforming historic structures can activate and bring new life to a socially challenged urban space.

WINTER/SPRING 2015 Location Norway Brief Transformat ion of the Norwegian Government Quarter Type Indiv idual pro ject Duration 1 Semester

SpaceRegained

AboveAerial PhotoOslo

OppositePerspecti-vee sectionwest, through main entrance


Redefining urban

topology

RightInitial diagramsProgramme/function

BelowInitial conceptual diagramConnecting the topologies on site

Far rightSite plan

Above1. The government offices in the surround-ing area keep their inital functions, while the offices in Y-blokken and Høyblokken are relocated.

2. The site is a fluent landscape, subject to transformation as a dynamic urban space for the photographic centre.

3. Høyblokken is transformed into a pho-tography school, with connection to the photographic centre.

The refined landscape structure functions as a plateau that moves on the underside of the existing building structure. Through the plateau, two cuts lead through the landscape down to the entrance of the photographic centre in the basement, while the terrain is lifted up to the 1.floor of Y-blokken. The plateau leads a fluent circulation around the existing gain, where the sloping topograpgy moves into a se-ries of different conditions through the soft transitions of the surface. Through these architectural measures, a new topography is formed, where the existing buildings are lifted up as independent elements in an open urban space. They hereby keep their monumental value, with reference to their heritage in the modernist era.


The photographic centre

1 Main entrance2 Exhibition3 Reception4 Permanent exhibition5 Restaurant6 Kitchen7Cafe/shop8 Auditorium9 Public toilet10 Staff toilet11 Storage12 LAB/workshop13 Studio14 Fire staircase

The photography school

15 Entrance16 Foyer17 Storage18 Toilet19 LAB/workshop20 Studio

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With reference to the existing basement, the plan has been reshaped to connect Høyblooken and Y-blokken to one interconnected plan, both using exisiting walls and structural elements, and adding new elements to form a new architectural form.

Through the exterior cuts in the landscape, the slope leads into the main gallery area and up through a series of ramps throughout the photographic centre. The transparent transitions from the outside to the inside is used as a tool to connect all the topographic elements of the site, into one fluent motion.

Far leftBasement plan

LeftExisting plans + trans-formed plans

Bottom leftInterior visualisationView from main gallery, looking up to main entrance

RightLongitudinal section East

Bottom rightInterior visualisationView from 2.Floor, look-ing over to the series of ramps

UnderComposition



LeftExterior visualisationView from street

RightExploded diagramComposition - Exsisting + new

Far rightCross sectionsMain topographical conditions

BottomWest elevation


snit AA 1:500

snit BB 1:500

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Documents

Academic Portfolio, Revised 2015