Christina Chi Zhang
Christina is the 2023–24 Harry der Boghosian Fellow for 2023-24 at Syracuse University School of Architecture. There, she teaches an architecture studio and two professional electives focusing on her research, “Scales of Healing in Post-Traumatic Landscapes.”
She recently graduated from Yale School of Architecture (MArch ’23) with the AIA Henry Adams Medal. While at Yale, She was awarded the George Nelson Travel Scholarship (2021), which supported her year-long research trip in Bosnia and Rwanda, resulting in her exhibition, "Thank You for Loving Me till the End: Past, Memory and Everyday Life in Post-Atrocity Bosnia and Rwanda".
Yale School of Architecture 2019 - 2023
Master of Architecture I
- AIA Henry Adams Medal for academic excellence
Yale University 2013 - 2017
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture
- Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts (article)
- Distinction in major
Professional Experience
Copenhagen, Denmark
2022
Junior Architect, EFFEKT Arkitekter
Working as junior architect at EFFKET, Copenhagen.
Yale School of Architecture
2022-2023
2020 - 2021
Teaching Fellow, First-Year Architectural Design Studio, Introduction to Architecture, Scales of Design
Teaching Fellow for undergraduate courses "Introduction to Architecture (intructors: Alexander Purves and Trattie Davies)" and "Scales of Design (instructor: Bimal Mendis)".
• Led weekly discussion sections.
• Critiqued and guided students to develop multiple independent projects using various representation techniques.
Teaching Fellow for Core I and Core II studio courses (with critics Nikole Bouchard and Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen).
• Alongside the critic, offered critiques to student work twice a week;
• Marked up student drawings and provided technical support on visual representations.
• Led workshops and tutorials on digital and physical modeling, rendering and drawing techniques.
New York City, USA
2017 - 2019
Designer and Project Manager, Studio MM Architect
Designed and managed 7 residential projects from schematic design through construction administration.
• Worked with the principal architect (Marica Mckeel) on design schemes and presentations at client meetings.
• Developed 7 full construction drawing sets, including specifications, plans, elevations, sections, interior elevations, structural and construction details, mechanical and plumbing diagrams.
• Coordinated with structural engineers, contractors and sub-contractors during construction administration.
Kakuma, Kenya
New York City, USA
2017 - 2018
Co-Founder and Director, IDeA - International Development in Action
Co-founded the 501(c)3 non-profit organization for community empowerment.
• Initiated and directed the contruction of a refugee-run learning center for livelihoods and solidarity in Kakuma Refugee Camp.
• in collaboration with refugee leaders, designed the school’s curriculums, partnerships and training programs for the school’s long term development. The curriculums are now run and taught by refugees, offering literacy, math, business, livelihood and reproductive health education to young refugees at Kakuma.
International
2016 - 2017
Co-Director, Place and Displacement: Architecture + Public Policy Design Competition
Initiated, curated and co-directed an interdisciplinary competition. The competition asked participants to design a marketplace and business plan to promote refugee livelihoods, encouraging reflections on refugees’ autonomy, creativity and resilience in constrained conditions.
• Designed and wrote the competition brief to inspire bottom-up research in refugee camps and interdisciplinary collaboration between architects and policy makers.
• Formed a 31-people jury consisting of architects, UN ambassadors, university professors and policy makers. Received 342 proposals from 34 countries.
• Organized a public symposium New York University: Reform Refugee Responses.
Shanghai, China
2015
Intern Designer, Atelier Deshaus Architecture Studio (大舍建筑设计事务所)
Researched, proposed design options and generated drawings for three projects.
• Participated in the schemetic designand representation of Taizhou Contemporary Art Museum.
• Assisted with an innovative home renovation project for the “Dream Home Makeover” TV Show season 2.
Awards and Fellowships
International
2022
First Prize, Competition: Home for the Blind
Won the first prize and student award in BEE BREEDERS architecture competition with project: “The Guiding Wall”. Team: Christina Zhang, Claire Hicks, Joshua Tan
Kigali, Rwanda
Sarajevo, Bosnia
2021 - 2022
Scholarship, George Nelson Travel Scholarship in Architecture
Awarded to conduct a six-month independent project: “Past, Memory and Everyday Life in Post-Atrocity Public Spaces”. Project will be completed in 2022.
International
2020
Prize, Competition: Architecture of the Abandoned
Won the sixth place and selected as Honoral Mentions in THE BIG THING architecture design competition with project: “Miners, To The Sky”. Team: Christina Zhang & Joshua Tan
Yale University
2017
Prize, Louis Sudler Prize in Arts
Graduation award at the commencement.
• Louis Sudler Prize is awarded annually to two graduating seniors who, in the opinion of the faculty, have demonstrated excellence or the highest standards of proficiency in arts at Yale.
Kakuma, Kenya
2016 - 2017
Award, Race, Indigeneity & Transnational Migration Research Travel Award (RITM)
Fellowship, Yale Center for International and Professional Experience (CIPE)
Conducted architecture, urban studies and anthropology research in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya.
• Completed an independent project: “Finding Kakuma: The Life of A Refugee Camp”, a 97-page essay to deconstruct the
impression of a refugee camp through a collection of narratives.
Barcelona, Spain
Cologne, Germany
2016
Fellowship, Harvey Geiger Travel Fellowship in Architecture
Conducted architecture research in Barcelona and Cologn.
• On the relationship between architecture, history and memories through the work of Antoni Gaudí and Peter Zumthor.
Languages and Skills
Languages
English, Chinese (Mandarin), French, Japanese, Swahili
• Native Mandarin speaker
Design Skills
Digital Representation
• AutoCAD, Rhino, Revit, Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, VRay, Enscape
Physical Representation
• Woodwork, Laser Cutting, CNC Milling, Vacuum Forming, 3D Printing
Virtual Reality (VR)
• Unreal Engine, Unity, The Hub
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