Graduate comprehensive studio community centre project
WOVEN TABLE
Graduate studio park design studio project
GREEN RAINWATER INFRASTRUCTURE TOOLKIT
Independent research project directed by CoV
BLUE RESIDENCE
Revit practice on recreating a built project
Undergradute independent research project on old growth forest
FUXING ISLAND: A PLACE TO LIVE AND STAY
Artificial island redesign for cological restoration and community revitalization
SOLARPUNK: Recovering the lost art of landscape architecture
Recreating landscape design process in an interactable narrative video game
Vancouver, BC
liu_yumeng@outlook.com
INTRODUCTION
EDUCATION
EXPERIENCE
AWARDS & COMPETITION
VOLUNTEER
SKILLS
REFERENCES
+1 778 855 5031
I am a landscape architecture graduate with a focus on ecology and urban scaled systems. My work looks at how cities and ecological networks can support each other through strategies like biodiversity planning, ecosystem restoration, and climate adaptation. Alongside professional training, I practice hand drawing and illustration as part of my design process, and spend time hiking and cycling, which deepen my connection to the environments I design for. I also bring skills in geospatial analysis, arboriculture, construction details, and digital visualization to projects at different scales. I aim to create landscapes that are resilient, inclusive, and connected to both people and nature.
University of British Columbia | | 2022 - 2025
Master of Landscape Architecture
University of British Columbia | 2017 - 2022
Bachelor of Urban Foretry, minor in Landscape and Recreation Planning
2020 Dean’s Honour Roll
Biodiversity Policy Applied Research Assistant | 2024 September
Contract Part Time
I conduct research that helps advance the completion of UBC’s Campus Biodiversity Strategy, with a focus on policy scan and biodiversity projects, plans and stories.
Graduate Teaching Assistant| 2024 August
Contract Part Time
I collaborate closely with the course instructor to facilitate an engaging and supportive learning environment.
Planner I / Landscape Designer| 2023 October - 2024 March
Contract Part Time
City of Vancouver, Engineering Services - Architecture and Urban Interface - Transit Integration & Projects Team. Focused on further developing transit related POPS (privately owned public space), conducted analysis, created definition and typologies to support public integration.
Sustainability Scholar | 2023 May – 2023 August
Independent Research Project
Worked with the City of Vancouver to produce a green infrastructure toolkit for the current construction of BSP. The finished work will be included in the UBC Sustainability Program.
Tongji University Summer International Design Compeition| 2025
Contributing to the Fuxing Island Regeneration Plan: Digital Intelligence, Ecology, and Humanities, where I collaborated with architects and urban designers from around the world, and the team project advanced to the next phase of the competition.
ASLA Student Honor Award | 2025
Recipient of the 2025 ASLA Student Honor Award in Communications for my thesis project, invited to attend the 2025 ASLA Conference in New Orleans.
International Association for Impact Assessment Vancouver | 2022 Room monitor and provide assisstance for session chairs.
Architecture & Design Film Festival Vancouver | 2021
Venue Volunteer
Jericho Stewardship Group| 2020
Helped with invasive species removal and native plantings.
3D & Parametric Render Other Soft skills
Adobe Suit Roehr, Daniel Byrne, Fionn Tan, Ruotian Sept, Joelle
Photoshop Illutrator InDesign Premiere
After Effects
Rhino3D Grasshopper Autodesk Revit SketchUp 3D printing & Lasercutting Physical model
droehr@sala.ubc.ca 604 827 4056
V-ray Enscape Lumion Unreal Engine
AutoCAD GIS Office i-Tree Handsketch Unity
fionn.byrne@ubc.ca 604 500 2429
joellesept@gmail. com
Planting design
Research, survey & interview methods
Task management
Intercultural fluency
Adaptability & collaboration
Ruotian.Tan@vancouver.ca
604 873 8313
IN·TER·TWINE
Reconstructing heterotopia space
Location Duration Type
Professor Programs Vancouver, British Columbia
November- December 2022
Biocentric Water Feature
Sara Jacobs, Tatiana Nozaki
AutoCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, Rhino 3D.
SITE DESIGN PROPOSAL: CONCEPT COLLAGE
Facing the increasing threats of habitat loss, Lost Lagoon plays an important role for not only resident but migratory birds as well. My intervention is to develop a biocentric design that facilitates wildlife and biodiversity at Lost Lagoon, as the first step to start rewilding the area.
My purpose is to create a space that not only better supports the water birds but also encourages the coexistence of human and non-human. This target design aims to build a space that dissolve the boundary between human and birds, creating a more intimate relationship between human and nature, at the same time serves as a buffer zone to protect the space from pollutants runoff.
LAURA LIU
SITE DESIGN PROPOSAL: ILLUSTRATIVE PLAN
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO WORKS
SECTIONS GOING VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY ACROSS THE SITE
LAURA LIU
SITE MODEL: LASERCUT
COLLAGE RENDERED SITE PERSPECTIVES: HUMAN-EYE VS. BIRD-EYE
DIGITAL HILLBILLIES
Reconstructing heterotopia space
Location
Duration
Type
Team
Professor
Programs
Vancouver, British Columbia
January - April 2023
Design build
Tyler Solu
Joeseph Dahmen
Rhino, Grasshopper, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Hand tools
This research aims to accomplish these goals by investigating and understanding the tools and processes for documenting, cataloguing, and strategically utilizing non-standard elements of trees, particularly in structural applications. Recent research has shown the potential for these pieces to be aggregated in structural forms, taking advantage of their inherent qualities and strengths, while enabling and facilitating new forms of design expression.
Through the use of readily available consumer-grade tools for digital processing, analysis, and fabrication, we can begin to imagine alternative uses for waste streams of these biogenic materials. By understanding these tools and processes, a workflow can be established and shared so that designers everywhere may be able to readily utilize tree forks and other waste-wood products in their own designs.
LAURA LIU
THE OVERLAPPING STORIES
Responding to the layers of history at Roundhouse Community Centre
Location Duration
Type
Professor Team
Programs
Vancouver, British ColumJanuary - April 2023
Public Plaza Redesign
Nicky Bloom, Jergus Oprsal
Kaitlin Wiebe, Brian Yuen
Rhino, Autocad, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, hand sketch.
As Yaletown is filled with new developments, RH being one of the few places that holds its historical importance, it has it’s responsibility and significance to provide such functions and opportunities, we aim to design a collection of spaces that reveal overlapping stories of the land at current day ‘Roundhouse’, and hold space to imagine and adapt to it’s futures.
To move towards decolonization and reconciliation with indigenous peoples, Chinese Canadian workers and other affected communities; addressing a variety of larger issues (ex racism, climate change, awareness of place/community) through the telling of RH’s specific stories.
Morning
Mid-day
Afternoon
LAURA LIU
LAURA LIU
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO WORKS
WOVEN TABLE
Embodiment of Past and Future at Columbia Park
Location
Duration
Type
Professor
Team
Programs
British Columbia
February - April 2023
Urban Park Redesign
Daniel Roehr, Maren McBride
Kevin Wong, Kylie Ip
SketchUp, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, hand sketch.
Columbia Park stands as an urban park in Vancouver, British Columbia, is facing numerous changes caused by the redevelopment of the oakridge neighborhood. This park emerges as a place of cultural intersection and natural beauty, offering an opportunity for both the local community and visitors to engage with the land in a mindful and respectful manner.
Woven Table will be an innovative space where community impact has power to radically change the par kscape at any point in time. It will be a place of dynamic vision and fle xible connection, addressing ecology in an increasingly dense and urban neighbourhood.
LAURA LIU
SITE PLAN SHOWING THE DIFFERENT SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS
LONG SECTION ILLUSTRAING THE PLAZA, GREENHOUSE, AND HOW THEY MEET THE RESIDENTIAL AREAS ON BOTH SIDES
RENDERINGS FEATURE THE HAND-DRAWN ASSETS
LAURA LIU
GREEN RAINWATER INFRASTRUCTURE TOOLKIT
Implementing GRI at Broadway Subway Pan transit sites
Location Duration
Type
Professor
Team
Programs
British Columbia
May- August 2023
Urban public space
Ruotian Tan, Sheri DeBoer
Kevin Wong, Kylie Ip
Autocad, Rhino 3D, SketchUp, Illustrator
GRI offers a holistic approach to urban stormwater management that aligns with environmental, social, and economic goals.
This project aims to envision a toolkit of GRI typologies that are suitable for rapid transit station locations, thus creating a more resilient transit infrastructure that promotes climate change mitigation, rainwater and localized flooding treatment to increase the overall public experience and wellbeing. A rating system was desigend to evaluate the performance of each typology, with consideration towards IP ratio determed by City of Vancouver’s Green Infrastructure Design Manual.
LAURA LIU
Bioswale
Slope Planting
Tree Trenches
Water Features
Pervious Paving
Bosque
Ground Planters
Green Canopy
PROPOSAL FOR A TRANSIT PLAZA AT BROADWAY CITY HALL STATION: ILLUSTRATIVE PLAN
ISOMETRIC DRAWING FOR A CLEAR TRANSLATION OF THE DESIGN CONCEPT
LAURA LIU
SECTION
DEMONSTRATING THE UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURES
3-DIMENSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Blue Residence
Pavillion + house remodeling using Revit
Project
Location
Architect
Duration
Type
Professor
Programs
Blue Residence
Nevele, Belgium
Wim Goes Architectuur
July-August 2023
Pavillion remodelling
Roy Cloutier
Autodesk Revit
Blue residence is a recovation and extension of the Castle de Motte. Originally the site contains one of the best preserved ice cellars and a pavilion on top. Wim Goes saw the combination of the romantic nature of the trees and the pavillion, being as a symbol of possibility and destination, with the function provided by the ice cellar, the architecture wished to embodies the same idea but in a more contemporary way.
The grey-blue steel, which is the major material used for the construction, meant to highlight the difference between architecture and nature, showing how nature will grow over and take over the space, blur the boundary over time.
LAURA LIU
ISOMETRIC, AND EXPLODED SECTION OF THE PROJECT SITE
After natural disturbances such as large forest fires, there were often many biological legacies: some living and many dead trees, typically large in size. These legacies contributed substantially to biological diversity in the regeneration of forest.
British Columbia’s old growth forest is known as the “white rhino of old growth forests”. Heavy industrial logging have left a deep scar in B.C.’s old growth forest, leaving the remaining forest stands at great risk.
Many efforts were made by B.C. government yet challenges still exists. Currently there’s still a huge increase in old growth logging, and the recent flood events and landslides happened across B.C. once again proves the consequence of forest removal. This project delivers my definition of old growth forest and calls for forest stewardship to be put into action and provide transparent open data open to the public.
LAURA LIU
Natural Disturbance
Early Stage of Regeneration
ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)
jack pine (Pinus banksiana)
Lodgepole pine (Pinus
balsam fir(Abies balsamea)
Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
western larch (Abies balsamea)
At this stage, tree density may with more foliages, which results forest canopy with little light reaching forest floor, little vegetation on floor, and forms poor habitat for The forest self-thins, and result biological diversity.
be very high results in a closed reaching the on the forest for animals. result in a very low
Middle Stage of Regeneration
Forest matures and tree density decreases, trees started to be more affected by disturbance agents (wind, insects, and diseases). Broken tree tops, dead decaying snags and logs appear and gaps are created by dead fallen trees.
Old Growth Forest Development
Gaps in the forest stand allow shade-tolerant species start to grow faster, some eventually become very large. There is a high diversity of mosses, lichens, and other plants that grow on the surface of living trees and shrubs, and dead wood.
Clear-cut Logging
Industrial logging causes much different results from natural disturbances. There is few living or dead trees even with selectively logging strategies. Residual trees become vulnerable and often will wiped out by disturbances, and creating a uniform single species forest stand with trees of similar size.
Clear-cult logging destroys high-valued habitat and results in a less sustainable and less biobiodiverse forest stand regeneration.
banksiana)
(Pinus contorta)
balsamea)
western hemlock(Tsuga heterophylla)
black spruce (Picea mariana)
western hemlock(Tsuga heterophylla)
western redcedar(Thuja plicata)
300 Years
Percentage of new forest are monoculture 5-15 years before logging
Percentage of forests that are monoculture before logging Low ProductivityA Small Treed Old Growth Forest in BC Higher Productivity Big Treed Old Growth Forest in BC
LAURA LIU
Approved Cutblock Portions Overlapping Old-Growth Forest (April 30, 2020 to April 26, 2021)
Approved Cutblock Portions Overlapping Old-Growth Forest from April 30, 2019 to April 29, 2020
N Coast - Prince Rupert
Moisture regime: moist to very wet
Temperature regime: cool to cold
Major forest ecosystems:
Boreal White and Black Spruce, Coastal Western Hemlock, Interior Cedar-Hemlock, and Sub-Boreal Spruce zones.
Peace River NE - Fort Nelson
Moisture regime: moist to wet moisture
Temperature regime: cool to cold
Major forest ecosystems:
Boreal White and Black Spruce, Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir, Interior CedarHemlock, and Sub-Boreal Spruce zones.
Lower Mainland & Island
Moisture regime: moist to very wet
Temperature regime: warm to cool
Major forest ecosystems: Coastal Douglas-fir, Coastal Western Hemlock, and Mountain Hemlock zones.
Cariboo
Moisture regime: very dry to wet
Temperature regime: warm to cold
Major forest ecosystems:
Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir, Interior
Cedar-Hemlock, Interior Douglas-fir, Montane Spruce, and Sub-Boreal Pine-Spruce zones.
Thompson & Okanagan
Moisture regime: very dry to wet
Temperature regime: hot to cool
Major forest ecosystems:
Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir, Interior
Cedar-Hemlock, Interior Douglas-fir, Montane Spruce, and Ponderosa Pine zones.
Kootenay
Moisture regime: very dry to wet
Temperature regime: warm to cool t
Major forest ecosystems:
Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir, Interior
Cedar-Hemlock, Interior Douglas-fir, and Montane Spruce zones.
08. FUXING ISLAND:
A Place to Live and Stay
Artificial island redesign for cological restoration and community revitalization
Location
Duration
Type
Professor
Team
Programs Shanghai, China
June - July 2025
Comprehensive urban masterplanning
Bin Li, Jiake Shen, Fangyi Wang
Amanda Nicole Barnette, Anna Panni
Till, Elisabetta Maria Tavaroli, Junxian Liang, Vanessa Amita Heckmann
ArchiCAD, Photoshop, Illustrator, Rhino3D
Our project reimagines Fuxing Island as a longterm, livable neighborhood where people can grow roots and build meaningful lives.
A network of cooling canals and green-blue corridors enhances climate comfort, biodiversity, and daily connection to water while supporting recreation and mobility.
Existing industrial structures are adapted into community hubs for culture, learning, and shared services, complemented by mixed-use zones that blend housing with public amenities. At the island’s edge, a nature reserve safeguards ecosystems and provides residents with a retreat for recreation and environmental education.
LAURA LIU
FUXING ISLAND: A place for live and stay
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO WORKS
ISLANDS, WATERFRONT BOARD WALK, PARK ENTRANCE
09. SOLARPUNK:
Recovering the lost art of landscape architecture
Graduate thesis project on recreating landscape architectural design process in an interactable narrative video game
Location Duration
Type
Professor
Programs
Comox, BC, Canada
Jan 2024 - Apr 2025
Speculative conceptural design through an interactive medium
Fionn Byrne
Photoshop, Illustrator, Unity
This project explores how landscape architecture can be translated into interactive storytelling through game design.
Set in a solarpunk future, at its core, grounded in the ecological realities of our planet, climate change, and guided by a quiet, stubborn hope in renewable energy. The player takes on the role of a self-taught landscape designer navigating ecological trade-offs, community dialogue, and post-disaster regeneration. By blending narrative, site analysis, and design methodology, the game invites a broader public to engage with landscape thinking.
It reimagines how our discipline is communicated—not just through drawings, but through choices, movement, and care.
LAURA LIU
IDEAS FOR WORLDVIEW BUILDING
SOLARPUNK: Recovering the lost art of landscape architecture
