Yanglan Wang
Selected Work 2022-2025

  1. A Blue Blender
  2. Back in the Wild Water
  3. Trace the Name
  4. Volcano Venture Filling the Void
  5. Cocoa Cooperation and Conversion

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Trace the Name — Support, Reflect, Forever


EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND 2023


Ashbrook House is owned by the Salvation Army and provides emergency accommodation to people in need. It once had a stream and many ash trees as its name gave it, but now the stream has disappeared and the ash trees are suffering from disease. Ashbrook, used as a carehouse, has been branded rely, disregard and death, and the spirit and the story of the site is fading away.

By recreating ash and brook in a new form, the design evokes people's sense of belonging as a part of the world, guides people to think about the passage of time and appreciate the beauty of death. The design finally meets the needs of the use of care house, cafe and public garden. And make the site reflect the theme of support, reflect and forever.


Main Concerns about Ashbrook Garden


After the invesigation and research of groupwork. Three main concerns are developed — the name of Ashbrook, plant diseases and pests, and the multiple functions.


Left: Historical map of Ashbrook in 1914 (source: National Library of Scotland)
Right: Current satellite map (source: Google maps)


As the current and historical maps show, the brook that made up 'Ashbrook ' had been invisibal. People may feel confused if they only see the dying ash trees in Ashbrook. There are three obvious negative keywords of ashbrook: Rely, Disregard and Death. 

The Supportive Structure


Based on the name of the Ashbrook Garden, the design strategies are divided into two parts, “Ash” and “Brook”. As for the ash trees in ashbrook, although they will die in the next 20 years, considering the importance of plants under climate change and the protection of biodiversity and microclimate on the site, they are not be cut down immediately.  So a structure is designed to help catch the died branches of the ash trees. After the ash trees die, their wood will be used to make some small structures and memorial facilities in the site. The died ash trees will be replaced with oak and sycamores because they can create similar habitats for creatures.

Section of the New Path

As the artificial water souce is not applicable to the site, modifing the path to make it become a “river” is a method. The stratery of “Brook” is to use rainwater and mirrors to represent the stream. A metal rill made from steel and mirrors are placed on either side of the road. The process of river disappearing and reappearing gives people the revelation of the cycle of all things. When people look at the mirror and see themselves with the plants, the sky, the animals, it makes people feel like they are part of the world, especially for the residents here.


The New Functions of Ashbrook Garden
(Base map is groupwork with Jiaqi Zhang, Siyuan Song, Shu Shang)
The “Keep”, “Remove”, “Add” and “Modifie” in Design


Master Plan


Left: Ash and Brook Elements
Middle: Replacement of Trees
Right: Road Systems


Ash and Brook Stratery Visualizations
Section A-A’
Section B-B’


Section C-C’
Sensory Garden
Section D-D’
Stone Slope
Section E-E’
Ash Circle



TECNICAL DRAWINGS OF ADAPTED DESIGN

General Arrangement
Tree Protection
Ground Preparation
Earthwork
Hardworks Plan
Softworks Plan
Drainage
Stairs and ramp Detail
Corten Steel Grating Walkway Detail (1)

Corten Steel Grating Walkway Detail (2)
Paving and Edging Detail
Hardworks Detail
Sensory Garden Planting Detail
Planting Schedules and Section A-A
Gulley and Tree Protection Fencing Detail


GROUPWORK



Existing Plan of Ashbrook Garden
(Groupwork with Jiaqi Zhang, Siyuan Song, Shu Shang)
Sight Analysis of Ashbrook Garden
(Groupwork with Jiaqi Zhang, Siyuan Song, Shu Shang)
Model of Ashbrook Garden
(Groupwork with Jiaqi Zhang, Siyuan Song, Shu Shang)