my archischool students visualize & validate sustainable city designs

my archischool students use unreal engine to design urban architecture proposals

My Archischool challenges its aspiring architects to propose sustainable design solutions, from green urban rooftops to floating fish farms. The students’ new work not only conceptualizes these architectural alternatives but goes a step further to visualizing and validating the design choices. The four proposals prototype public spaces that enhance the well-being for city dwellers whilst reversing negative climate issues.

My Archischool challenged its students to design buildings for public spaces that enhance the well-being for city dwellers whilst reversing negative climate issues.

All images courtesy of My Archischool

The Hong Kong-based My Archischool runs a variety of in-person and online courses for aspiring architects, aged between 6 and 17. A collective of professional architects aids the students in learning fundamentals in 3D modelling, design thinking and other creative skills. This is all whilst prompting these future creatives to answer pressing issues facing the world.

The students used Unreal Engine to visualize and validate design choices, settings parameters to test prototypes in different locations, weather, times and more.

To design these responsive architectural prototypes, the designers used Unreal Engine to create beautiful yet effective solutions. Physical models were first made so that ideas could be explored. Digital visualizations in twinmation was then used to finalize the designs, taking two to three months to fully research and move from conceptualization to final design. The process enabled more detailed studies of form, where specifications of locations, weather, times and more informed choices.

The solar panel-cladded Long Fungi Airport by Oscar Chung (also pictured above) introduces an innovative natural ventilation system that adapts for different times of the day.

Long Fungi Airport by oscar chung

As the first proposal, Long Fungi Airport by Oscar Chung is cladded with solar panels to provide a clean energy-generating system. The solar-glass doubles as a shading device. Internally, the waiting areas are naturally ventilated using the vertical shaft of a wind-catcher. The structure cools different levels of the building during specific times of the day. The effectiveness of the system was designed using Unreal Engine and its ability to make design choices based on location-specific parameters.

The National History Museum by Heidi Liang is designed to meet the demand for outdoor activities.

natural history museum by heidi liang

Heidi Liang’s Natural History Museum builds on the demand for outdoor activities since the pandemic, especially amongst kids. An open structure design takes ventilation throughout the galleries of the museum. Composite glass walls house the exhibits but keep the rooms roofless, as if the art is displayed in a void. The tent-like form can be used as a framework for more outdoor galleries and art exhibitions in urban settings.

Heidi Liang’s design creates a tent-like framework that can be used more outdoor galleries in urban environments around the globe.

greenhouse by minjoon ji

Aiding plant life in cities, Minjoon Ji creates a Greenhouse that saves clean water whilst growing green life. The design proposal utilizes the natural terrain and rainwater of its environment to realize effective harvesting systems. One half of the design is open whilst the other is covered for more fragile or infant plants. The design brings natural life into the city without relying on precious resources.

Minjoon Ji creates a Greenhouse that saves clean water whilst growing green life.

airport by kayla yeung

The Airport by Kayla Yeung is inspired by the traditional chinese courtyard house, the hutong. The building encompasses a central courtyard. It naturally collects rainwater to hydrate indoor plants in the facility. The courtyard not only functions for drainage but also brings in more natural lighting for its occupants and vegetation, saving energy dependency at the same time.

The Airport by Kayla Yeung builds upon the traditional hutong courtyard for a natural drainage and lighting system.