Title Protecting Paradise: The Embassy of Environmental Philanthropy
Place Nicaragua Canal and Bluefields, Nicaragua
Period MA Postgraduate Year 5 Thesis Project, 2017-2018

cultivating environmental protection, ethical authority and political trust

This thesis represents a discourse on foreign investments in underdeveloped countries as well as a demonstration of environmental awareness and protection practices, bringing together tourists and locals in an environment governed by five principles of peaceful coexistence.

Inspired by the 16th century Chinese classical novel The Monkey King where heroes fight to protect the heavens, the project demonstrates how peace, equality and freedom prove to be democratic design tools that can protect Paradise, the most extensive rainforest of Central America. Protecting Paradise: The Embassy Of Environmental Philanthropy draws upon a diplomatic and bilateral economic agreement that cultivates environmental protection, ethical authority, and political trust between China and the small Central American country of Nicaragua. This thesis brings forward a discourse on foreign investments in underdeveloped countries as well as a demonstration of environmental awareness and protection practices, bringing together tourists and locals in anenvironment governed by five principles of peaceful coexistence.

I was blessed with inspirational supervisors: Professor CJ Lim and Eva Rosborg Aagaard. I wholeheartedly thank all technical consultants on details and project management (Simon Dickens, The Bartlett School of Architecture), structures (Matthew Wells, Techniker Structural Engineers London), environment (Stephan Holst, Transsolar Climate Engineers Munich), invited critics (Christine Hawley, David Roberts, Simon Herron, Susanne Isa), and final diploma examiners (Christine Hawley, The Bartlett School of Architecture; CJ Lim, The Bartlett School of Architecture; Naina Gupta, The Architectural Association; and Søren Leth, Sleth A/S)

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︎ Protecting Paradise to receive the Award for excellence in digital and hybrid media student category at the 2018 AIA Dallas KRob Architectural Delineation Competition
︎ Protecting Paradise to be acquired for the permanent collection of Yamana Gold Inc at the 2018 Passion to Perform International Art Contest
︎ Protecting Paradise Design Realisation Report

The Design Realisation report aims to introduce knowledge that is required in the realisation of building projects, within professional architectural design practice. The understanding of topics, such as planning, structural principles, construction, materials, details, building performance, building codes etc. is demonstrated in relation to the main building design project. The Design Realisation includes multiple amounts of stakeholders. In order to grasp the task of project delivery, project management is presented, understanding the importance of an interdisciplinary approach and integration, in order to create a successful project.