Yirui Xiao (She/Her)
Hello, I’m Yirui Xiao, an interior and environmental designer specializing in digital visualization and sustainable practices. I use tools such as AutoCAD, SketchUp, 3D Max and Photoshop to transform design concepts into visualization blueprints.
I consider community involvement to be vital to my work. I am eager to actively seek collaboration on projects that benefit the community.
I am eager to learn and committed to keeping up with trends and advances in sustainable design. I want to work together to create beautiful, sustainable and community-centered spaces.
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[post_content] => The project began when I came across a report detailing the anxieties young people (ages 18-25) have about their future and the challenges they face in finding a clear direction. I was driven to help because many of my friends expressed similar concerns about their own passions or educational and career trajectories.
After extensive research, I identified creativity and insight as two crucial areas for reigniting young people's zest for the future. I delved into memory theory, particularly 'false memories,' and how emotions affect these memories. Traditionally considered a memory flaw, I discovered that false memories have creative potential, as they blend real events with imagination. Therefore, while accurate memories are crucial for some tasks, the creativity in false memories can inspire new ideas and perspectives.
In addition, my background research uncovered a comprehensive ability called "future consciousness," which encompasses our emotions, imagination, expectations, and purposeful actions toward the future. I was drawn to its all-encompassing nature, probing deeply into how our awareness of the future influences our current actions and feelings.
Recognizing the vital role of individual memories in driving collective action, I focused on fostering 'future consciousness,' empowering young people to shape the future based on today's decisions.
Upon conversations with college students, I found discrepancies between their chosen majors and their inherent interests and potentials. Some also struggled with social interactions. My goal became to help these young people discover their interests and potential.
Based on talks with life coaches, I found that helping students find passion in other aspects of life could alleviate these issues.
All this research led me to formulate a unique concept I termed "Eternal Temporality," which suggests using familiar tools and memories of yesterday to shape the uncertainties of tomorrow. This concept captures the transient yet impactful nature of the feelings and challenges young people experience.
Kelvingrove Park, located near several universities, became my ideal location. Designed as a sanctuary for students, the natural setting, convenient transport, and familiarity make it an excellent spot for self-discovery.
I created prototypes aiming to blend imaginative allure with tangible experiences.
Prototype 1: "Zero-Gravity Thinking Capsules" comes with a "Fantasy Diary," where visitors can jot down their dreams, worries, or fictional experiences. This space invites you to immerse in your thoughts and be inspired by others.
Prototype 2: "The Moon" offers seating designed like the lunar surface, ideal for picnics or performances. Ambient lunar sounds play beneath the seats. Cards with imaginative lunar scenes and whimsical lost items invite visitor contributions, promoting creativity.
Prototypes 3 and 4: Both "Nebula Drapery" and "Passion Stage" cater to students' sensory and self-expression needs. They provide a balanced environment for introspection and outward expression.
Each area within Kelvingrove Park is carefully designed to meet the varied needs of college students—from solitude and thought to interaction and self-expression—recognizing the multifaceted nature of student life.
These designs provide a nourishing and nurturing balanced environment that helps college students explore themselves while toggling between the need for solitude and community.
[post_title] => Imagining tomorrow with yesterday's tools
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Projects
Collaborative Works
Imagining tomorrow with yesterday’s tools
The project began when I came across a report detailing the anxieties young people (ages 18-25) have about their future and the challenges they face in finding a clear direction. I was driven to help because many of my friends expressed similar concerns about their own passions or educational and career trajectories.
After extensive research, I identified creativity and insight as two crucial areas for reigniting young people’s zest for the future. I delved into memory theory, particularly ‘false memories,’ and how emotions affect these memories. Traditionally considered a memory flaw, I discovered that false memories have creative potential, as they blend real events with imagination. Therefore, while accurate memories are crucial for some tasks, the creativity in false memories can inspire new ideas and perspectives.
In addition, my background research uncovered a comprehensive ability called “future consciousness,” which encompasses our emotions, imagination, expectations, and purposeful actions toward the future. I was drawn to its all-encompassing nature, probing deeply into how our awareness of the future influences our current actions and feelings.
Recognizing the vital role of individual memories in driving collective action, I focused on fostering ‘future consciousness,’ empowering young people to shape the future based on today’s decisions.
Upon conversations with college students, I found discrepancies between their chosen majors and their inherent interests and potentials. Some also struggled with social interactions. My goal became to help these young people discover their interests and potential.
Based on talks with life coaches, I found that helping students find passion in other aspects of life could alleviate these issues.
All this research led me to formulate a unique concept I termed “Eternal Temporality,” which suggests using familiar tools and memories of yesterday to shape the uncertainties of tomorrow. This concept captures the transient yet impactful nature of the feelings and challenges young people experience.
Kelvingrove Park, located near several universities, became my ideal location. Designed as a sanctuary for students, the natural setting, convenient transport, and familiarity make it an excellent spot for self-discovery.
I created prototypes aiming to blend imaginative allure with tangible experiences.
Prototype 1: “Zero-Gravity Thinking Capsules” comes with a “Fantasy Diary,” where visitors can jot down their dreams, worries, or fictional experiences. This space invites you to immerse in your thoughts and be inspired by others.
Prototype 2: “The Moon” offers seating designed like the lunar surface, ideal for picnics or performances. Ambient lunar sounds play beneath the seats. Cards with imaginative lunar scenes and whimsical lost items invite visitor contributions, promoting creativity.
Prototypes 3 and 4: Both “Nebula Drapery” and “Passion Stage” cater to students’ sensory and self-expression needs. They provide a balanced environment for introspection and outward expression.
Each area within Kelvingrove Park is carefully designed to meet the varied needs of college students—from solitude and thought to interaction and self-expression—recognizing the multifaceted nature of student life.
These designs provide a nourishing and nurturing balanced environment that helps college students explore themselves while toggling between the need for solitude and community.
Hyper Local Re-use Center
(Group Project by Environmental Design Students)
The Research:
Moray Waste Busters (MWB) is a community charity that focuses on waste reduction through recycling and reusing donated items like furniture, electronics, and clothing. By giving these items a new purpose, MWB contributes to sustainability by reducing landfill waste. Through educational efforts and outreach, MWB plays a role in local environmental advocacy.
To gain insights into MWB’s operations, a stakeholder map was created based on primary and secondary research. The map helped categorize our interactions and data collection of the users to later create four personas, identifying their pain points and goals related to MWB’s drop-off area and shop. User interactions led to the extraction of key intervention points and thematic problems. A co-design workshop was held at MWB to collaborate with users on solutions, addressing issues like drop-off area redesign, weather protection, and store layout. Data was organized into scoping, engagement, and co-design categories.
The analysis revealed recurring themes, guiding the formation of recommendations. Notably, the drop-off area’s redesign was a primary concern throughout the investigation due to its consistent mention. The need for weather protection and a reimagined store layout emerged from observations, conversations, and volunteer experiences, demonstrating the importance of user-centered design in MWB’s journey towards enhanced sustainability.
Our Solution:
We decided to explore our solutions in 4 parts. This was done so that each part of the solution could be taken forward individually as per different paces and priorities. But when all the parts come together, they will enhance the overall experience of the users.
PART 01 – THE DROP-OFF SHELF: First, we wanted to increase the space in the collection point and make the process smoother.
PART 02 – THE DROP-OFF SPACE RE-PLAN: We have also identified an opportunity in the re-organization of the current space to create more space for the customers and staff at the drop-off area.
PART 03 – THE ROOFING: We found some alternative ideas to create a roof that would help the drop-off area be protected under weather conditions as well as provide space for the staff to move around to complete their tasks at ease.
PART 04 – THE STORE RESTRUCTURING: Re-structuring proposal for the area, if and when MWB were to open a branch of similar space and size.
For more detailed research process please read through the process journal.
Project Links
Proposed Shelf
Hyperlocal Reuse Centre
Moray Waste Busters (MWB), the local reuse center of Forres, is a social enterprise that reloves old items and gives them a new life, adding value to the community. The space, location and the environment have a significant impact on the experience of its staff and visitors. This project aims to use qualitative research with local stakeholders and the general public to define the spatial, social and environmental opportunities for the future development of the organization as it strives to expand its operation and encourage reuse culture in wider community.
Why is the proposed solution Innovative? Why is it better than the existing sorting and drop-off system?
- The problem of rainwater runoff can be solved by using an ecologically supportive canopy like green roofing or rainwater harvesting. Green roofing is one the most accepted by users as it looks the “greenest” option and aligns with the vision of MWB, giving it an aesthetically pleasing look. Green roof can also use some of the waste collected at MWB as a resource. It helps in controlling some amount of weather conditions, keeping the place warm in winter and cool in summer. One interesting new insight that we got was that of making the place noise absorbing/ noise cancelling.
- The proposed shelf and roofing design have a speculative approach to it. It has the ability to be made into a scalable and adaptable spatial system model (Dunne, Anthony, and Fiona Raby. 2013) that can independently boost the ecology and the experience of the space. It can be applied to similar spaces to make them energy independent, environmentally friendly and boost community engagement.
- Café did not get a very affirmative feedback but a seating space was appreciated. MWB doesn’t have a good drainage system which is an important thing to be thought of.
Proposed Shelf
