Architecture | Research | Photography
Yicheng / Alan Wang is a designer and researcher who recently earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Syracuse University, with a minor in Art History (summa cum laude). His work is driven by the belief that architecture begins not with form, but with inquiry. He approaches design as a process of uncovering the essential questions that define a place, a community, or a moment of change — and responding to those questions with precision, care, and criticality. At the core of Yicheng / Alan’s works is a commitment to understanding the built environment as a reflection of complex social, economic, and cultural forces—not just as a response to program or aesthetic intent. He investigates the invisible structures that shape how people live, work, and inhabit space.
His current research centers on the Chinese countryside — initially sparked by AMO’s Countryside: A Report but ultimately positioned in critique of the book’s optimistic portrayal. While the publication frames rural transformation as a frontier of innovation and opportunity, his work reveals a more complex reality: one in which the rise of e-commerce is not only restructuring rural life but also quietly dismantling its social and spatial foundations. Through fieldwork and spatial analysis, he explores how new economic models reshape not only architecture, but also land use, social relations, and cultural memory. This work questions the dominant narratives of progress and revitalization.
Beyond studio life, Yicheng / Alan is an active explorer. He enjoys navigating in unfamiliar terrains and buildscape — whether by touching the weed by a trail or feeling the wind rush past as he skis down mountains. These explorations sharpen his sensitivity to space, rhythm, and atmosphere. He is also a trombonist, performing in orchestras since the age of 11. He sees architecture much like an orchestral composition: composed of distinct parts — buildings, streets, plazas, etc. — each with its function, yet all contributing to a larger, living whole. For him, architecture is more than the design of buildings; it is a way of listening, interpreting, and caring for the world.
Skills:
Rhino | Revit | Sketchup | QGIS | ArchGIS | AutoCAD | Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, After Effect, Premiere Pro | Vray | Twinmotion | Enscape | Lumion
Languages:
English (Fluent) | Chinese (Fluent) | French (Intermediate) | Italian (Elementary)