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Zheqing (Kelly) Zhang_ Portfolio

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Zheqing Zhang

SKILLS

Software

Rhino, AutoCAD, ArcGIS Pro, SketchUp, Blender, Lumion, Twinmotion, Meshroom, Adobe Creative Suite, Procreate

EXPERIENCE

Cornell University I Lab Assistant

Mar 2024 - May 2025 I Ithaca, NY

• Facilitated operations within the Department of Landscape Architecture Makerspace.

• Executed advanced physical modeling utilizing 3D printing and laser cutting technologies.

University of California, Davis I Horticulture Intern

Sep 2021 - Jun 2023 I Davis, CA

• Designed site interventions for the Valley Oak Grove to mitigate soil degradationn.

• Directed a 3-student team in the physical installation of the design, managing transplanting, mulching, and site preparation.

• Generated spatial mappings to document plant species utilizing ArcGIS.

Physical Model Making, Laser Cutting, 3D Printing, Hand Drawing

Fabrication Languages

Mandarin (Native), English (Fluent)

EDUCATION

Cornell University I MLA, Landscape Architecture

Expected 2026 | I Ithaca, NY

University of California, Davis I BS, Sustainable Environmental Design

Sep 2019- Jun 2023 | I Davis, CA

• Collaborated with a 9-person team on the Cruess Hall Front Yard, executing site analysis, plant selection, and the physical construction of a decomposed granite patio.

• Coordinated with community managers to facilitate a redesign project on the Davis campus.

University of California, Davis I Farm Intern

Aug 2020 - Sep 2020 I Davis, CA

• Managed active agricultural operations, including targeted seeding, harvesting, and weeding.

• Operated site irrigation systems to maintain crop health and optimize water management.

01 ECHOES IN LANDSCAPE

Battery Park Redesign I Individual work

Conceived as an acoustic landscape, this public realm honors New York’s classical music heritage. The park functions as an immersive memorial, harmonizing ecological design with interactive soundscapes to allow visitors to experience nature and music simultaneously.

Illustrator, Procreate, Photoshop, ArcGIS

PROPOSED PLAN

Ureli Corelli Hill 1842-1847
Antonin Dvorak 1893
Gustav Mahler 1909-1911
Arturo Toscanini 1928-1936
Leonard Bernstein 1958-1969
Acoustic Mirrors
Acoustic Shells
Lotus Leaf Stage
Acoustic Ribbons
Shell Stage
Magnolia
Horsechestnut
Virginia Jumpseed
Acoustic Shell (Seat)
Acoustic Mirror (Seat)
Acoustic Shell (Stage)

02 SCIENCE GARDEN

Ithaca Science Garden Redesign I Group work

Operating as a four-season educational landscape, the project synthesizes ecology, play, and scientific inquiry. Curated spatial cues guide visitors through a narrative sequence, encouraging active observation and hands-on discovery within the site’s natural systems.

Illustrator, Procreate, Photoshop, ArcGIS

DESIGN PROPOSAL

Uses high-impact, low-resource graphics to define the parking threshold, establish site identity, and maintain winter visibility.

Embeds evolutionary science into the pedestrian experience.

A low-maintenance structure that reveals subterranean ecological processes and supports instruction, passive recreation, and observation.

A curated planting strategy that visualizes flora-fauna synergies. Provides a living framework to support the biodiversity

1. Arrival Sequence
2. Narrative Circulation
3. The Soil House
4. The Ecological Classroom

PLANTING PLAN

Common Name Scientific Name

Spike-flowered speedwell Liatris spicata
Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea
Cat mint Nepeta faassenii
Sage Salvia nemorosa
Common yarrow Archillea Millifolleum
Flowering carbapple Malus spp.
Wild strawberry Fragaria virginiana
Native plum Prunus americana
Rough goldenrod Solidago rugosa
Eastern serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis
Spearmint Mentha spicata
Ginkgo tree Ginkgo biloba
Red currant Ribes rubrum
Lamb’s ear Stachys byzantiana
Butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa
North American mint Monarda didyma
Red mulberry Morus rubra
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia
Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis
Creeping thyme Thymus serpyllum
Black-eyed susan Rudbeckia hirta
Highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum

03 OUTDOOR KARAOKE

Cornell Site Assembly Class Project I Group work

This site-specific academic study investigates the intersection of acoustic performance and microclimate adaptation. By abstracting the formal qualities of sheet music into the landscape, the design generates a dynamic public venue grounded in the region’s material vernacular.

Illustrator, Photoshop, AutoCAD Model: Chipboard, foam board, 3D printing, clay

HARDSCAPE MATERIALS & PLANT PALETTE

Concrete Paving

Source: HANOVER Architectural Products, Custom Color With Tudor # 13 Finish, Matrix # 1428

Slate-Surface Stone

Stone Paving

Paving

Concrete Paving

Source: Tile Tech Paver System Source: HANOVER Architectural Products, Standard Colors with Ground Finish, Super Black

HANOVER
Black Walnut Stage
Black Locust Bench
HANOVER Concrete
Broad-leaf Sedge Carex platyphylla
False Sunflower Heliopsis helianthoides
Milkweed Asclepias syriacus
Spotted Joe-pye Weed Eupatorium maculatum
Prarie Dropseed Sporobolus heterolepis

PHYSICAL MODEL

3D Printed Stage Structure
Overall Site
Sheet Music Bench
Planting Area

CONSTRUCTION

04 RIBBON OVER THUN

*Students’ Design Competition- Footbridge Chur 2025 I Group work

More than a simple crossing, this structurally minimalist infrastructure extends the Thun Museum’s public realm across the river. It integrates multimodal transit while preserving unobstructed sightlines to the Alps and the historic city fabric.

*This project is a class project, using Design Competition resources.

Illustrator, Photoshop, ArcGIS, Rhino, Lumion Model: Plaster, cardboard, moss

Accessible Mesh

Fish Spawning View Net

Illumination of the Bridge

PHYSICAL MODEL

Benches with Planters
Zheqing (Kelly) Zhang_ Portfolio by Kelly Zhang - Issuu