Nexus Ex Dim Sum

An inter-dimensional, galactic, time-traveling adventurers’ lounge and service depot

Background Image: Eddleblute and Joyner’s contrast-y vision for Alita: Battle Angel is a perfect match for the narrative of my model, despite obvious architectural differences. I liked the post-apocalyptic optimism.

A Challenge: My first assignment in an Environmental Design class at Art Center was to redesign a personal space.

A Solution: My living space lacked the amount of room I’d like for both creative projects and entertaining. I addressed both needs.


I added a level and extended it several feet on all sides, thus providing distinct areas for a workshop and ‘lounge’.

A domed, glass roof, and large round windows on the 2nd level provides a sense of optimism and expansiveness.
Downstairs, an open floor space adds malleability to the work area.
The kitchen can be opened or closed with a series of sliding windows and doors, which accommodates both the expansiveness of entertaining and the mess of the workshop.
Light from the roof shines through the stairway and a centrally located dome in the floor of the 2nd level. This adds natural light for projects that require it. A large cargo door set around a conventional entrance is great for large projects and gatherings.

Inspiration and Narrative

From the adventure of Victorian sci-fi to a sleeker, more modern sci-fi, I found useful images in both history and game/scifi concept art. Exploring forms for the exterior, I drew something that – of all things – reminded me of a Chinese restaurant. Fusing these elements, I layered a history of the building:

A Japanese-American family with a penchant for dim sum opened a restaurant a few years before the invasion of aliens from Zygorthia. After, like everyone else with children, they fled to Canada, resistance fighters modified the building. In the post-war, dystopian period, a ‘cyber-gang’ added their own practical and aesthetic touches. Then came a doo-dah parade of usages: doggy day care, a retro-TV-bar, a reggaeton-disco, and many others. With my reputation for hospitality to strangers and general handiness, the History & Future Preservation Society invited me to convert the building into a ‘Lounge-n-Service Depot’.

I now preserve its history, while keeping it active for the community.
Best job I’ve ever had.

Existing interior elevations
Redesigned interior elevation

Existing Floor plan
Redesigned floor plan, 1st level
Redesigned floor plan, 2nd level
Redesigned floor plan, 2nd level variation
Exterior elevation
Interior elevation

2 thoughts on “Nexus Ex Dim Sum

  1. Clay Schilke

    Picture this – 3 am in the morning, I had a line of fiends stretched around the corner of my block. It was in the freezing middle of January but they had camped out all night, jumping-ready to buy like there was a sale on Jordans. If you were 16 years old, in my shoes, you’d do anything to survive, right? I got good news though; I MADE IT OUT OF THE HOOD, with nothing but a laptop and an internet connection. I’m not special or lucky in any way. If I, as a convicted felon that used to scream “Free Harlem” around my block until my throat was sore, could find a way to generate a stable, consistent, reliable income online, ANYONE can! If you’re interested in legitimate, stress-free side hustles that can bring in $3,500/week, I set up a site you can use: https://incomecommunity.com

  2. Jacqualine Bucklew

    Okay, this might be a little bit random, but I saw your blog and had to ask, are you interested in a translation job? I know I’m a stranger but I felt like doing a good deed today by alerting a couple people that a good position has opened up here: https://bit.ly/TranslationJobsHiring and they pay sometimes even $40/hour. Okay, they won’t always give that amount, I only made around $300 last week, but it’s part time and when times are tight, every little bit helps. Hope it helps, and my apologies if you’re not interested. Have a great day/evening!

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