受访者 / 张煜晗 | Yuhan Zhang
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张煜晗 | Yuhan Zhang
2013-2018：加州大学伯克利分校自然资源学院，环境科学学士
2018-2021：耶鲁大学建筑学院，建筑学硕士
2021-至今：SCDA 纽约办公室建筑师
获奖经历
NY Architectural Design Awards Gold 2024
Muse Design Award Gold&Silver 2024
Willam Stout Architectural History Award 2018
Green Building Leadership Camp First Prize 2015
#采访目录
› 01.个人专业背景
› 02.专业研究领域背景
› 03.和美国的互相影响
› 04.对年轻建筑师/学生的建议
› 05.作品集
Section 1
个人专业背景
之后我去了耶鲁大学建筑学院读研并在三年后获得了建筑学硕士学位。毕业后我来到了纽约，目前在一家总部在新加坡的中型事务所SCDA的纽约办公室工作。
I began my studies in Environmental Science at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2013, with a minor in Urban Planning and Sustainable Design under the College of Environmental Design. Influenced by this interdisciplinary background, I developed a growing interest in architectural design. During my junior year, I took a gap year to participate in Columbia University's New York/Paris program. This immersive experience, split between New York and Paris, greatly expanded my aesthetic sensibilities and worldview, solidifying my decision to pursue a career in architecture. I later earned my Master of Architecture degree from Yale School of Architecture after three years of study. I gained early experience through brief internships at design institutes and small studios in China. After graduation, I moved to New York and joined the New York office of SCDA, a mid-sized firm headquartered in Singapore.
▲ @GPSMYCITY
I feel fortunate to have joined SCDA’s New York office right after graduation. Though SCDA specializes in hospitality and residential design, it actually has a broad scope, covering architecture, landscape, interior, and product design. The New York office is small but highly efficient, so I often take on multiple roles. Over the past few years, I’ve been involved in various project phases, from early planning and conceptual design to later stages of refinement and construction. On U.S. projects, I am also responsible for daily communication and coordination with clients, engineers, and contractors. Additionally, I frequently contribute to sustainable and environmental design for projects worldwide, providing sustainability analysis and design suggestions to our Singapore team.
▲ @SCDA ARCHITECTS
Although all three schools are in the United States, they each have distinct characteristics. At UC Berkeley, I received a well-rounded education, thanks to the wide variety of courses and disciplines available at this public university. While my major was within the College of Natural Resources, I also took numerous courses at the College of Environmental Design, which sparked my initial interest in architectural design. Berkeley embodies California’s progressive environmental ideals and advanced technologies, which shaped my early perspective on architecture.
▲ 在伯克利的一个暑期我参加了第一个建筑studio
▲ 评图结束后和老师在背后的中庭花园里交流
To further explore architectural design and confirm my passion for the field, I later joined Columbia University’s New York/Paris program. Columbia's program is uniquely positioned to take advantage of its prime locations in Manhattan and central Paris, allowing students to fully immerse themselves in the urban fabric and draw from its abundant resources. For a field as context-sensitive as architecture, this geographic advantage is invaluable. During the Paris semester, we spent nearly every weekend traveling to different cities and countries to study architecture, making it a transformative architectural grand tour for me.
▲ 哥大的纽约学期狭小的工作室空间
▲ 交图前见证纽约凌晨4点的初雪
▲ 巴黎学期学院楼里的春天
▲ 周末和同学一起去看萨伏伊别墅
相比起本科时候我的跨学科体验，在耶鲁的三年是潜心建筑学习的三年，在这期间我对建筑有了系统性的学习。同时也是我第一次感受到私校精英教育的氛围，学院楼里的学术和艺术气息非常浓厚，教授和学生也有很紧密的联系。
学校的课程除了以设计课为重，也非常注重实践。偏向技术的暑期课和职业发展课会让我们更了解建筑师在真实社会中的处境，还有学校传统的Building Project会让每一届的学生一起设计并且在几个月的时间里建起一栋小型住宅。可以说在这里我才开始迈向成为职业建筑师的第一步。
In contrast to my interdisciplinary undergraduate experience, my three years at Yale were focused solely on deep architectural studies. This was my first encounter with the atmosphere of an elite private university, where the academic and artistic environment was profoundly inspiring, and the close relationships between professors and students enriched the learning experience. Yale’s curriculum emphasized not only design but also hands-on practice. Technical summer courses and professional development classes gave us insights into the realities architects face in the industry. The school’s long-standing Building Project, where each cohort designs and constructs a small house within a few months, provided invaluable real-world experience. It was at Yale that I truly began my journey toward becoming a professional architect.
▲ 耶鲁的学院楼和工作室应该是三个学校里环境最舒适的了
▲ 中庭空间因为正好是一个标准羽毛球场的大小，不评图的时候我们会用来打羽毛球比赛
▲ 每学期开学第一天设计课“抽奖”
When I first joined SCDA, I was primarily responsible for the planning and conceptual design of a boutique resort hotel near Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. In the early stages, we conducted extensive design studies, as well as environmental and sustainable design research. To fully understand the local climate across all four seasons and the site's habitability, we spent an entire year investigating the natural environment. The architectural massing was carefully integrated into the sloped terrain with a humble and understated approach, blending almost seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. Aiming for carbon neutrality, we conducted analyses of solar and wind energy, exploring the potential for self-sufficiency. However, in 2022, Yellowstone experienced a once-in-500-years flood caused by glacial melting and heavy rainfall due to climate change. The flood not only destroyed bridges but also dramatically expanded the site's watershed and wetlands, forcing us to reevaluate the scale and functionality of the project. This was my first direct encounter with the immense unpredictability that climate change imposes on architects and builders. If we continue to neglect these issues, we will inevitably face even more challenging building and living environments in the future.
▲ @SCDA ARCHITECTS
Section 2
专业研究领域背景
I believe the role architects play in addressing climate change is not fundamentally different from their inherent role as coordinators and practitioners. Architects may not delve into cutting-edge technological or data research like climate and environmental scientists do, but they operate at the intersection of humanities and natural sciences. This unique position equips them with a foundational understanding of natural sciences and the ability to grasp how climate change impacts living spaces.
At the same time, architects are engaged in daily practice, allowing them to integrate mature green building technologies and systems into their designs. They also play an important role in educating other stakeholders within the industry and the general public. While architectural design may not afford the same level of personal expression as other art forms, it still provides architects with a platform to communicate with society. With a solid knowledge base and awareness of climate resilience, architects can embed these principles into their designs, which ultimately become part of the public’s lived experience.
▲ 风环境分析 @SCDA ARCHITECTS
▲ 气流分析 @SCDA ARCHITECTS
所以很多时候建筑师和工程师为大楼设计的居住系统并不一定是最适用于最后的使用者的。设计应该是一个综合过程而非线性的，应该鼓励在项目初期阶段让更多的相关方，甚至大楼的使用者一起合作，讨论并确定可持续发展的目标。实现能源效率和资源节约，最终打造更加环保、高效的建筑。
During my time at Berkeley, I was deeply inspired by Professor Gail Brager's course on environment and energy, which led me to join the Center for the Built Environment under her guidance. There, I participated in research on indoor environmental quality (IEQ), a key component of the LEED rating system. My primary responsibility was analyzing the impact of different HVAC systems on office building occupants based on POE (Post-Occupancy Evaluation) studies. The data we worked with came from cities across India, and I was particularly struck by the wide variation in temperature preferences among users, even in a tropical country. Interestingly, rather than relying on constant air conditioning, many people preferred having adjustable fans and operable windows and doors within the building.
This experience highlighted that the systems architects and engineers design for buildings may not always align with the needs of end users. Design should be a holistic and iterative process, encouraging collaboration among stakeholders—including future occupants—early in the project to define sustainable goals. By prioritizing energy efficiency and resource conservation, we can ultimately create buildings that are not only environmentally friendly but also more adaptive and user-centric.
▲ @YUHAN ZHANG, Post Occupancy Evaluation
▲ @YUHAN ZHANG, Post Occupancy Evaluation
四座相连的塔楼由复杂的对角网格外骨架支撑，与垂直农场交织在一起，直接应对城市社区的食物不平等问题。这些塔楼不仅是建筑结构，它们是由尖端绿色技术驱动的“活体有机体”。全年运行的垂直农业将这些塔楼变为农业枢纽，大幅减少食物运输的碳足迹。
As a LEED AP, beyond contributing to sustainable projects at work, I also explore possibilities for the future of sustainable architecture through my personal endeavors. This year, our project SKY DROPLET was honored with Gold Awards in Sustainable Design from both the NY Architectural Design Awards and the MUSE Design Awards.
SKY DROPLET invites us to imagine a future where Chicago’s skyline is not only a symbol of architectural achievement but also a beacon of sustainable living. In this vision, your building itself provides your food, shelter, and energy, rendering the concept of "food deserts" obsolete. The project redefines urban living as a series of vertical ecosystems, transforming skyscrapers into thriving green spaces that nurture both body and mind.
Located along Chicago's lakefront, this mile-high vertical community seamlessly extends the city’s greenbelt into the sky. Four interconnected towers, supported by a complex diagrid exoskeleton and interwoven with vertical farms, directly address urban food inequality. These towers function not just as architectural structures but as "living organisms" powered by advanced green technologies. Year-round vertical farming turns the towers into agricultural hubs, dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of food transportation while fostering a self-sustaining urban ecosystem.
▲ @ YUHAN ZHANG, DREAMA SIMENG LIN
Section 3
和美国的互相影响
In my view, the integration of Eastern and Western architectural philosophies goes beyond simply combining styles and forms—it reflects a deeper understanding of space, environment, and human-centered values. Eastern architectural principles, particularly the Chinese concept of feng shui, are rooted in an empirical understanding of how to improve indoor and outdoor environments. Feng shui emphasizes an intuitive experience of how elements like airflow, water flow, and light influence the atmosphere of a space and the feelings of its occupants, rather than relying on specific quantitative data. In contrast, Western architecture, shaped by its evolution from the Renaissance to Rationalism, focuses on a scientific approach, using data to analyze and optimize design while emphasizing functionality and technological innovation. (Of course, with the current trend of globalization, these distinctions are becoming less pronounced.)
My cross-cultural background allows me to seamlessly integrate these intuitive and analytical perspectives, drawing on the strengths of both approaches and applying them to real-world projects. I am not confined by a singular style or methodology, enabling me to take a broader, more innovative approach to design. This fusion not only makes designs more inclusive and human-centered but also respects the environment while leveraging scientific data for optimization, ultimately creating architecture that better addresses contemporary needs.
此外，建筑行业的人才更新速度相对缓慢，许多从业人员习惯于传统的做法，使得绿色建筑相关的思想和新技术难以迅速普及。在这种情况下，我的跨学科背景和全球视野让我有能力推动行业内的变革。我不仅能为项目带来创新的设计策略，还可以通过教育和引导团队，引入并推广新技术和新理念，逐步克服行业中的这些障碍。我会从建筑的各个环节入手，从设计到实施，再到长期运营，综合考虑每一个细节。我相信美国的建筑行业是非常需要这样的推动力的。
Compared to architects who focus solely on architectural design, my interdisciplinary background provides me with a multidimensional approach to thinking and problem-solving. As a learner of environmental science, sustainable design, and architecture, I am able to understand a building's physical and technical requirements while also considering its long-term impact from an ecological and environmental perspective. I believe this interdisciplinary outlook enables me to take a more holistic approach in design, finding innovative solutions that balance aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability.
While the U.S. architectural industry boasts many leading-edge projects and technologies, there are also some challenges. First, the industry's large scale and complexity often lead firms to adopt conservative practices when facing new technologies and reforms, lacking the drive for change. Even when new technologies emerge, communication and collaboration across different sectors often become barriers to the adoption of innovation.
Additionally, the pace of talent development in the architecture industry is relatively slow, with many professionals accustomed to traditional practices, making it difficult for green building concepts and new technologies to spread quickly. In this context, my interdisciplinary background and global perspective equip me to drive change within the industry. I can not only bring innovative design strategies to projects but also educate and guide teams to introduce and promote new technologies and ideas, gradually overcoming these barriers. I approach every stage of architecture, from design to implementation and long-term operation, with careful attention to each detail. I believe the U.S. architectural industry greatly needs this kind of momentum.
Based on my experiences studying and working in North America, I now have excellent opportunities to engage with some of the world's top-tier construction projects, spanning across the U.S., the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and China. I will continue to deepen my research and practice in sustainable architectural design in New York, with a particular focus on integrating cutting-edge green building technologies with other key spatial concepts in architecture. My goal is to create more approachable public spaces and residential environments that enhance people's quality of life.
I hope to be involved in more challenging projects, exploring how to implement sustainable design across different industries and cultural contexts. At the same time, I aim to continue working globally, expanding my perspectives and incorporating design experiences from various regions into my projects, driving broader innovation in architectural practice.
Section 4
对年轻建筑师/学生的建议
In the context of climate change, the role of architects has become more multifaceted. Architects are not only responsible for designing aesthetically pleasing and functional buildings but also for taking on greater social responsibility to promote sustainable development. The value that architects bring to society has shifted from traditional design functions to the responsible use of environmental resources, ensuring that buildings meet human needs while also having a positive impact on the Earth's ecosystem.
Therefore, I believe it is essential to maintain curiosity and an open mindset. I encourage everyone not to fear interdisciplinary exploration and to engage with all fields related to architecture. It’s time to break free from the traditional constraints of the architectural industry.
Section 5
作品集
By reshaping the coastline of Harlem River and turning Fordham Landing into an ecological complex, the project aims to create new public access to environmental education and recreation opportunities of the waterfront site. To reconstruct the wetland condition which happens at several spots across the river, we began with carving out inlets, creating different water current conditions to retain tidewater and soil that support a series of terraced saltwater and freshwater marshlands. Each of the inlets is then themed with various programs that aim to create a natural environment for learning and living while enhancing the overall ecological richness and diversity of the area.
Incorporating the existing orthogonal column field in the ancient Roman cistern Piscina Mirabilis, our design proposal introduces a rotated grid system that weaves the negative space between columns into a continuous circulatory path for a contemporary exhibition. On this path, visitors ascend and descend, passing by suspended glass cubes displaying artworks, providing an opportunity to experience the reservoir from different heights. The use of water in the underground space alludes to the site’s historical function. Hovering above the water’s surface, the diagonal walking decks offer free circulation while preserving the cistern’s original viewing experience from its historic height.
When we were young, we were always told that when people passed away, they became stars, always shining and guiding us in the sky. The Stardust Cemetery is a contemplation on the cycle of life and afterlife. The imaginary storyline is designed in a futuristic setting. With the available technology, identities and body remains of the dead can be distilled and stored in a 20cm by 20cm illuminating cube, sent off by the loved ones into the air, floating among the stardust in a 300m diameter globe. The extreme contrast in scale celebrates how fleeting yet bright the life of the individual could be.
Utilizing a spatially efficient approach to store and memorize afterlife, the floating Stardust Cemetery can potentially host up to millions of individuals — the more it hosts, the brighter the stardust would shine — relieving foreseeable population density issue caused by future urbanization.Programmatically, the Stardust Cemetery provides public gathering and ceremonial spaces on the ground level. 12 private cabins attached to vertical railings allow intimate activities, including mourning and memory sharing. Through the railings, people could ascend to the stardust, while viewing the memory of their loved ones as hologram images projected by the cube, and finally send it off to join the circulating river of life, along with millions of other souls.
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