US-based Chinese architect explores new possibilities for architecture

As urban renewal, ecological design, and public space become increasingly central within global architectural discourse in recent years, a growing number of Chinese architects have begun addressing the evolving relationship between cities, environments, and society through interdisciplinary methodologies.

Aiming to point toward new possibilities for contemporary architecture across ecology, technology, public life and future urbanism, the work of New York-based Chinese architect Yan Huo reflects a combination of research depth, design leadership, interdisciplinary expertise, and spatial sensitivity.

Holding a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design from the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University and completing advanced architectural studies through the 2021 Design Discovery Program at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Huo's background has enabled her to develop an integrated design language bridging architecture, urban research, ecological strategy, and digital narrative.

She views architecture as a framework for constructing relationships — between individuals and environments, cities and ecology, private experience and public life.

"I do not see architecture simply as a static object," Huo said. "Beyond form itself, I am interested in human perception, behavior, and the constantly evolving relationships between people and the environments."

Huo now serves as an architectural designer at Studioteka Design, where she leads and develops architectural, urban renewal, and public space projects across New York. Prior to this, she directed and contributed to architectural and urban design initiatives through collaborations with the New York-based practice Ecotone and Shanghai-based LIN Architecture.

Beyond her architectural practice in New York, Huo has played a critical leadership role in StudioTEKA's interdisciplinary project Year 2180, an immersive VR and interactive media platform exploring climate cities-resilient of the future through architecture, speculative urbanism, and environmental storytelling.

Working at the intersection of architecture, digital media, and public engagement, Huo directed major aspects of the project's exhibition coordination, visual communication strategy, and audience-facing presentation development. She led the production of presentation materials, organized workshops and public programming, and shaped how the project's complex climate and urban research narratives were communicated to broader audiences through immersive and accessible formats.

Her responsibilities extended beyond design support into project execution and experiential coordination. During StudioTEKA's participation in Columbia GSAPP's Futurecurrent: Brazil Year 2180 advanced studio review, Huo oversaw on-site exhibition organization, VR installation setup, technical coordination, and audience interaction, serving as a key liaison between designers, students, collaborators, and visitors throughout the event.

Huo later continued this leadership role during the project's presentation at the FilmGate Interactive Festival in Miami, where she coordinated installation logistics, managed immersive exhibition operations, and directed public-facing engagement efforts surrounding the VR experience. Her ability to integrate architectural thinking, spatial storytelling, technical coordination, and public communication played an essential role in translating the project's speculative climate research into a cohesive and accessible interdisciplinary experience.

The project itself originated from Vanessa Keith and StudioTEKA's long-term speculative urban research initiative 2100: A Dystopian Utopia, examining how climate migration, rising temperatures, sea-level rise, and environmental transformation may fundamentally reshape future global cities. Through immersive VR interaction and environmental narrative, Year 2180 transformed this research into an internationally exhibited public platform exploring future urban resilience and climate adaptation.

Huo's interdisciplinary practice also extends into computational design and spatial installation research. Her project Embracing the Seed investigates natural growth systems through parametric spatial generation, and received the Excellent Award — Overview in the Architecture Category at the FCDA International Creative Art Awards in 2020.

Alongside built projects and digital experimentation, Huo has maintained a strong focus on ecological systems and environmental sustainability through landscape and urban research.

Her research project Herring: Conservation and Symbiosis in the Baltic Sea addresses ecological degradation in the Baltic region through habitat restoration and environmental intervention strategies.

The project's significance lies not only in its landscape representation, but also in its ability to translate complex ecological systems and environmental data into implementable spatial strategies.

The project later received the Excellence Award at the Exhibition of Architecture Design in Developing Countries and was recognized in the 17th China–Japan–South Korea Landscape Architecture Design Competition, reflecting international recognition of her interdisciplinary ecological research.

In recent years, her projects have been recognized through distinctions, including the 2025 NY Architectural Design Awards Professional Silver Winner, ArchDaily China Annual Architecture Awards, IDEA Awards, and the Dezeen Awards Small Building Category. Her work has also been featured in international exhibitions and design festivals, including the London Design Festival and the Shanghai International Design Festival.

Meanwhile, she continues to lead and contribute to urban renewal and public space initiatives throughout the United States.

For Huo, architecture remains fundamentally a process of observation, research, and continuous reinterpretation of spatial relationships.

"I hope architecture can do more than provide function," she said. "The most meaningful parts of space often emerge from the natural relationships formed between people, cities, and the environment."

Please contact the writer at hanjingyan@chinadaily.com.cn