I am an architectural designer dedicated to the principles of material reuse, adaptive reuse, and cultural integration. My work transforms salvaged materials into essential design elements that honor both history and modern needs, creating a unique narrative that bridges past and present. I believe architecture should resonate with its cultural context, where traditional design language informs innovative forms, grounding each structure authentically within its environment.
Through sustainable practices and computational techniques, I create resilient, adaptive spaces that balance environmental responsibility with meaningful, culturally rich experiences. Each project is an opportunity to reimagine the relationship between architecture and its surroundings, using resource-conscious strategies that reflect a thoughtful approach to design. My goal is to foster a deeper connection between people, place, and heritage, enriching both the built environment and the communities it serves.
Phone: 617.678.8053
Email: wuziyuan98@gmail.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ziyuan-sam-wu/ Personal Website: https://wuziyuan98.wixsite.com/wuarchi/projects
WORKING EXPERIENCE
PEOPLE ARCHITECTS
Boston, MA, U.S.
Architectural Designer 01/01/2025 - Present
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia, PA, U.S. Lecturer 08/05/2024 - 01/01/2025
MABU DESIGN LLC
New York, NY, U.S.
Project Designer
06/2023 - 12/31/2025 05/2023 - 06/2023 (Intern)
OPEN ARCHITECTURE
Beijing, China
Intern Designer 04/2022 - 08/2022
PENDA CHINA
Beijing, China
Intern Designer 05/2021 - 08/2021
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia, PA, U.S.
Master of Science in Design (MSD-AAD)
GPA: 3.94 / 4.0 09/2023 - 08/2024
RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
Troy, NY, U.S.
Bachelor of Architecture & Minor Fine Art
GPA: 3.67 / 4.0 09/2018 - 05/2023
SAINT JOSEPH PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL
Boston, MA, U.S.
High School Diplomat
GPA: 4.0 / 4.0 09/2014 - 05/2018
SKILLS & INTERESTS
Rhinoceros 3D & Grasshopper
Maya & Blender Revit Sketchup
V-ray Enscape Twinmotion Unreal Engine Lumion
Substance Painter & Sampler After Effect & Premier Pro
Photoshop Illustrator Indesign AutoCAD
LEICA 3D Scan (Site Scanning)
Reality Cloud Studio (Point Cloud Processing) 3D Printing CNC & Laser Cutting Robotic Arm Fabrication
Cantonese (Native) Chinese Mandarin (Native) English (Proficient)
ACHIEVEMENTS
BUILDNER_2025 The Unbuilt Competition Shortlisted BUILDNER_2025 The Unbuilt Architecture Publication
University of Pennsylvania_Graduate with Distinction
Article Publications:
- The Transformation of Interior Urbanism in NYC
- Explore Building Design Technology Under Concept Of Low Carbon
White Chapel Project | Built Project Mech Canyon | Competition Fortified Port of Beirut | Competition 1 5 4 2 3 6
New Aga Khan Museum of Islamic Art | Competition
Foreign Cultural Integration
1 Chome-9-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0006, Japan
P1 - P7
Adaptive Reuse
15 2nd Ave, Long Branch, NJ, U.S.
P8 - P13
Local Cultural Integration
7 4th Street, NY, U.S.
P14 - P19
Twenty Ways Home | AIA Tri-State Award
Adaptive Reuse & Public Building
240 West Lawrence Street, Albany, NY, U.S.
P20 - P25
Food Lab | AIA Honor Award
Material Reuse
37 Martyn Lane, Accord, NY, U.S.
P26 - P33
Spiritual Cultural Integration
Port of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
P34 - P39
Table of Contents
In architecture, a “threshold” signifies the transition between distinct spaces, creating a transformative experience beyond a mere boundary. Our project, located at 1 Chome-9-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0006, Japan, explores this concept through the intersection of three Islamic patterns—geometric, Arabic calligraphy, and floral—each as a distinct volume. The threshold links these spaces, defining transitions and modulating their interactions. This museum itself serves as a “threshold” between expressions of Islamic culture across Asia, fostering cultural connection and understanding.
Thoughtfully integrated thresholds add depth to the facade, challenging spatial boundaries and enriching user experience. These zones guide movement, distinguish public and private realms, and create flexible, multifunctional spaces. Through variations in material, volume, and light, the thresholds create compelling visual and tactile contrasts, elevating functionality and aesthetics within a culturally immersive environment.
Arabic Pattern
THRESHOLD TYPES
Interlock Between Thresholds
Tangency Between Threshold & System
Tangency Between Thresholds
Intersection Between Threshold & System
Offset Between Thresholds
Offset Between Threshold & System
Selcted Range of Pattern
Extracted
Threshold Rules
3D Threshold Techniques
The design concept is inspired by Islamic culture, using Arabic calligraphy patterns to explore “thresholds” as transitional spaces, adaptable across various scales in the museum.
Dense Urban Building
Lake
Open Public Park
Dense & Artificial Urban Context
Open & Natural Public Park
Threshold Region
Threshold Region
Flat & Thin Structure
Deep & Thick Structure
Deeper & Thicker Structure
Deepest & Thickest Structure
Deep & Thick Structure
Flat & Thin Structure
Balcony + Views of City
Least Population
Most Population / Turning Corner
Hibiya Metro Station Exit
Hibiya Metro Station Exit
The project site transitions from dense urban to open natural spaces. The facade thickens toward the street corner, inspired by Arabic patterns, creating balconies for visitor interaction and varied views.
stone panel attachment plate interlocking channel back anchor srews I-beam
The material joints serve not only to connect building culture with design language but also as structural elements that enhance functionality. For example, joints between the handrail and stone are designed for insulation and waterproofing, integrating aesthetics with structural performance.
Big Section (Left) Scale:
Galleries
Spaces
Galleries + Threshold Spaces
Lobby
Cafeteria
Gallery
Multimedia Space
Outdoor Garden
Entrance
White Chapel Project
Adaptive Reuse & Built Project
MABU Design LLC | New York Design Team: Matt Burgermaster + Ziyuan(Sam) Wu + DCAP.
*I am mainly speicalising in material reuse part & planning.
This adaptive reuse project reimagines a vacant 14,500-square-foot warehouse in coastal New Jersey as a vibrant community arts center, breathing new life and energy into a long-neglected space. Located in Long Branch, just one block from the Atlantic Ocean and within a FEMA flood zone, the project redefines post-Hurricane Sandy redevelopment by approaching demolition as a creative and productive process rather than merely destructive. Strategically positioned between an abandoned downtown and a bustling waterfront, the center acts as a bridge, fostering much-needed growth, community engagement, and cultural revitalization in this evolving urban area.
The design involves phased demolition, strategic disassembly, and selective salvage, with minimal but thoughtful repairs that blend existing structures with new architectural elements. Salvaged materials, including 68,166 bricks and 243 timber beams, are integrated to create a flexible, multifunctional space. This approach reduces waste while imbuing the building with a narrative of resilience, sustainability, and community, positioning it as a model for urban growth that honors history and embraces a forward-thinking vision.
Left - Site Location / 15 2nd Ave, Long Branch, NJ, U.S.
Right Top - Site Analysis
Right Bottom - Original Warehouse Elevation (1st) & Original Elevator Shaft (2nd)
Project Site
Left - Collage of Deconstruction Process
Right - Analysis of Removal Exterior Wall Bricks Based On Solar Coverage
Portions of the exterior bricks and interior structures were strategically removed to optimize sunlight coverage in the Level 1 courtyard, guided by computational calculations in Grasshopper.
Exterior Wall
Structures
Wood Columns & Beams Dark Bright Wall Bricks
Concrete Window Fills Wood Floor & Ceiling Finish
Solar Coverage (Top View)
+33'-0" to +36'-0"
Original Warehouse
+21'-0" to +33'-0"
+10'-0" to +21'-0"
Left - Original Warehouse Middle - life Cycle / Material Reuse
Right - Community Gathering Space (Post- Renovated)
The project is located at 7 4th Street in Troy, New York. Historically, the central warehouse served as a food storage facility under the management of Albany County. In 2022, debris from the building fell onto the adjacent Amtrak line, prompting the New York State government to consider demolishing the structure for safety reasons. While understandable, such an action would also erase an important piece of the region’s industrial heritage—an identity that the Albany community ought to preserve rather than abandon.
Today, industrial culture is increasingly overshadowed by financial and commercial development as business districts expand. Yet this warehouse deserves a chance at “rebirth” in the modern era. Through renovation and the reuse of its existing structure, the building can once again serve the community. Potential programs include spaces for teaching mechanical skills and technical knowledge, as well as areas for cultural and social activities that reactivate the surrounding neighborhood. In this way, preservation becomes not just about saving a structure, but about reimagining it as a catalyst for education, community life, and urban renewal.
Albany-Rensselaer Train Station
The State University of New York (SUNY)
Owner went bankrupt & Warehouse was
Programs ran by SUNY are mostly art & social sicence schools in Albany & Lack of traditional mechanical programs
Debris fell from southwest wall of the building caused destructions to the Amtrack train lines
Lost of mechanical l cultures was led by the spread of finanical investments turned regions into business areas
State Government announced state emergency: stop Amtrack lines
Less populations & activities happened arround the building in such industrial region
Albany’s industrial legacy faded through financial shifts and transit dislocation, yet its abandoned structures hold potential as cultural and social hubs that reconnect community and history.
Industrial and mechanical cultures were thriving in the Albany regions
The train lines along the building was for delivering foods that fed the city for months
Albany - Rensselaer train station was located and built in Renssealer on the east side of the Hudson River
abandoned
Gain
Large population increased in Albany county that is on west side of the Hudson River
Train stop in the building was abandoned
Theory Classrooms Fabrication Labs
Bus Station Train Station Bar & Brewery Hardware Stores
Presentation Halls Staff Office
Graffiti Scanned Virtual Museum Bike Sharing Point Restaurants Bookstore
Inconvenience for people in Albany to cross Hudson River to take train in Rensselaer
Left - Form Renovation
Right Top - Proposed Exterior View From Highway
Right Botton - Existing Exterior View
The design transforms a light-sealed storage facility into a form shaped by daylight, shifting from darkness to bright interiors that support human activity.
The transportation hub channels the flow of people from both the train and bus stations through the ground level, activating the programs above—meeting rooms, restaurants, and leisure spaces—and in turn stimulating community life and supporting the local economy.
The southeast corner becomes the project’s social heart, where flows from the transportation hub on the ground level rise into the upper floors that host the bookstore, restaurant, bar, and mechanical utility store. This cluster of programs forms a vibrant destination, reviving Albany’s industrial heritage through the brewery and mechanical craft while creating a lively intersection of transit, culture, and commerce.
Skybridges extend northward to connect directly with the school campus, giving students convenient access to daily supplies and encouraging interaction beyond the classroom. At the same time, these elevated links open the building to the wider community, allowing food, drink, and cultural spaces to become shared grounds where history, education, and public life meet.
TWENTY WAYS HOME
Adaptive Reuse & Public Building The American Institute of Architects(AIA) Tri-State Design Award [New York & New Jersey & Pennsylvania] MABU Design LLC | New York Design Team: Matt Burgermaster + Ziyuan(Sam) Wu
*I am mainly speicalising in material reuse, redesign of landscape & designs of interior renovation.
This adaptive reuse project transforms a decommissioned 17,000 sqf Methodist church at 240 West Lawrence Street, Albany, NY into a multi-building campus for RISSE, a nonprofit organization supporting refugees and immigrants. The design reimagines the historic site as a global gateway—converting the sanctuary into a non-denominational, multi-purpose space and transforming the former parsonage into a youth center with a new rear addition. A comprehensive site plan reorganizes the 37,200 sqf property with landscaped topography, gardens, and new accessory structures such as a playground and outdoor gathering areas.
Framed by the intersection of increased global migration and the decline of organized religion in the U.S., the project repositions a religious structure for humanitarian purposes. Through strategic, modest interventions—like a skylight “skyroom” and improved access points—the design creates an inclusive, dignified, and non-institutional environment. It supports RISSE’s mission to welcome newcomers from over 40 countries and provide a meaningful sense of home in the Capital Region.
RISSE, Albany, New York, U.S.
1
* Fig. 1 & 2 - The ramp into the side entrance separates the big playground into two, which is not efficient for the use of space.
* Fig. 3 - Small amount of nautral light go into the existing cafe through those small windows due to the earth of the playground in front of the cafe.
Fig.
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Right - Fig. 4: Existing Condition / The Ramp (Big White Line) Separates The Playground
Right - Fig. 5: Post Renovated Condition / Two Playgrounds Into One Continuous Playground + New Ampitheatre
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Garden
Ampitheater
Lower Terrace
Upper Terrace
Green Playground
Round Playground
Parking Lot
Vestibule
Multi-Use Hall
Skyroom
Office
Top Right - Green Playground Built Up By Recycled Soil Bottom Right - Ampitheatre In Terrace Form
Top Left - Proposed Cross Section Bottom Left - Right: Original Dining Room Without Enough Natural Light (Basement Level)
Left: View From Dining Room to Ampitheatre / New Entrances
Top Right - Post Renovated Dining Room With New Pegboard Wall Bottom Right - New Pegboard Wall Components Cultural exchange between refugees’ origins and their new environment
Top Left - Removed + Recycled + Added Elements of Multi-Use Hall (Ground Floor)
Bottom Left - Existing Condition of Multi-Use Hall As Church (1st Image)
Botton Right - Proposed Open & Closed Skyroom (2nd & 3rd Images)
Flexible Installation
Operable Pegboard Panels
Existing Structure
New Skyroom
Recycled & Reused Elements Removed Existing Elements
Top Right - Skyroom Open Mode As Relaxed Reading Space
Bottom Right - Skyroom in Closed Mode as Prayer Space
Bridging Immigrant refugees’ Cultural Roots With New Life In The U.S.
The Food Lab, located at 37 Martyn Lane in the forested north side of New York State, is designed to immerse its users in a natural, open-air cooking experience. During the warmer months, large doors can be opened to bring the forest’s sights, sounds, and scents directly into the cooking area, creating a seamless transition between indoors and outdoors. The cooking platform is elevated on a metal grid, allowing natural vegetation to thrive beneath it and preserving the landscape while inviting nature into the space.
A rear platform connects with the site’s gently sloped landscape, offering a smooth, organic flow between the building and the surrounding forest. This setup allows visitors to circulate freely and experience the site from different perspectives. Constructed from recycled materials, the structure features semi-transparent polycarbonate sheets on metal frames, allowing soft natural light to filter inside. This design enhances energy efficiency and aligns with the project’s goals of sustainability and cost-effectiveness, creating a modern yet harmonious addition to the natural landscape.
STRUCTURE 3
EXISTING SITE WALL
EXISTING RESIDENCE
FOOD LAB
STRUCTURE 1 LOWER SITE / WOODLAND
STRUCTURE 2 UPPER SITE / POOL AREA
The project site, located on the east side of the property and surrounded by dense forest, offers natural design inspiration from elements like angular rocks, tall bushes, and fallen branches. These features should be preserved and protected in the design process.
EXISTING SITE WALL
Re-construction
Customization
Re-construction & Standard 5. Onsite 2nd Use Expansion / Addition
Onsite 3rd Use Deconstruction
Onsite No Use
Re-construction & Customization
“Reuse material” rethinks the lifecycle of components, transforming off-the-shelf polycarbonate panels into disassemblable greenhouse kits that protect and blend into the forest’s natural environment.
1. Rock Formation “A” (Existing)
2. Rock Formation “B” (Existing)
3. Terrace
4. Woodland Trail
5. Fern / Rock “Garden”
6. Covered Porch / Dinning
7. Work Area
8. Test Kitchen
9. Entry / Seating
10. Greenhouse
11. Covered Porch / Loading
12. Cistern / Composting
13. Fern Field (Existing)
The recycled polycarbonate panels’ transparency gives the structure a lightweight, floating appearance above the vegetation. This permeable quality makes the architecture feel open and “breathing,” seamlessly blending with its natural surroundings.
/ Infrastructure
Equipment
Enclosure
Structural Frame
Raised Floor Platform
Flood Lab Equipment
Solar / Water Lines
Custom Structure Elements
Elevated Paltform
The landscape element emerges and grows within the test kitchen, helping blend the Food Lab seamlessly into its surroundings, even when in a closed mode.
The project is located in the Port of Beirut, Lebanon, a site marked by both tragedy and resilience. On August 4, 2020, an explosion of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate in Warehouse 12 devastated the area, claiming lives and reducing buildings to hollow shells within seconds. In response, Lebanese authorities sought designs symbolizing rebirth, envisioning a renewed Beirut that fosters healing and unity. Lebanon’s history is one of resilience, withstanding wars and divisions, especially between the country’s eastern and western sides. Despite these challenges, the Lebanese have continually rebuilt, displaying a strength that unites communities.
"REBORN" embodies this resilient spirit, serving as more than a physical reconstruction—it stands as a powerful emblem of unity and strength. "REBORN" envisions a fortified Beirut, resilient against the trauma of wars and disasters, and symbolizes a profound unification of Lebanese citizens, bridging divides to empower communities to stand as one. Through this vision, "REBORN" aims to create a lasting legacy of solidarity and hope for future generations, reinforcing Beirut as a shining beacon of resilience in the face of adversity.
Bus
Police Department
Hospital School
School Path To Site
Police Path To Site
Hospital Path To Site
Civil
Damages To Economy & City Developments
West & East Unified (Conflicts Still Existed)
Lebanon Owned Independence
Maritime Trade & Economic Growth
Explosion
Direct Damages Toward City Infrastructures & Lives
Protests & Riots Broke The Spirit of Union of This City
2020
1975 - 1992
1920 - 1943
Phoenician 550 B.C.
Port of Beyrout
Urban Renovation
War (Split into West & East)
of Warehouse In Port of Beirut
Recovering Blocks Added
1. [Wound Phase]
3. [Fortified Phase]
2. [Recovering Phase]
4. Floating Roof Surface Responds To The Aqueous Environment
Viodance For East Side Provide View Of Sea From Memorial Park
Rotated Afterbody Of The Building For Outdoor View Of The City
Top
Left - Form Transformation
Bottom Left - Form Generation Right - Northest Aerial View
* The facade is developed with Grasshopper script.
Left - Exploded Diagram of Program & Ciruclation Analysis Right - Zoomin In Section Of North Wing Lower Level
1. National Museum Exhibition 2. International Maritime Office 3. International Check-in & Ticket
Lobby
Domestic Check-in & Ticket
Cafeteria
Parking Garage
Elevated Outdoor Park
View of Lobby - North Wing
Other Works
• 3D Physical Model Fabrication
• Other Office Practice Work / Revit CD Drawings
• Game Scene & Human Modeling
• Augumented Reality (AR)
• CG Animation & VFX Film Making https://wuziyuan98.wixsite.com/wuarchi/other-works
Architecture transcends its own boundaries; it is not solely about the design and construction of buildings. Rather, it is an interdisciplinary medium that can forge meaningful connections with a wide range of other fields. These connections—bridges between architecture and disciplines such as game design, virtual reality, filmmaking, psychology, nature, urban planning, and even the intangible human spirit—allow architectural design to convey deeper meanings and resonate on multiple levels. By exploring these intersections, the significance of architecture can be amplified, revealing its potential to communicate, influence, and transform society.
Through such interdisciplinary approaches, architecture can adapt, responding to unique contextual needs and reshaping itself in the process. This redefinition of architecture enables it to address diverse cultural, environmental, and technological challenges in meaningful ways. Ultimately, I aspire to engage with and explore these relationships, where architecture is not simply a practice of building design but a conduit for narrative, emotion, and interaction, capable of transcending traditional limits to enrich our collective experience.
More Information: https://wuziyuan98.wixsite.com/wuarchi/nyse-server-hub
New York Stock Exchange Server Hub
Team Partner: Loewie Long
Fabricating Technology - 3D Printing
Physical Model Scale - 25"x25"x40"
Material - Polylactic Acid (PLA)
More Information: https://wuziyuan98.wixsite.com/wuarchi/37-martyn-lane-pool-house
37 Martyn Lane_Red Wing MABU Design LLC | New York
Left - Overall View & Close-up Details
Right - Plan & Section Drawings
12'X6' RECTANGULAR LIGHT*
PENDENT LIGHT*
PENDENT
DRY
UPRIGHT
EXTERIOR
SMOKE
HEAT
ALL NECESSARY ACCESSORIES AND COMPATIBLE DIMMER BY LUTRON OR APPROVED EQUAL.
2. EC SHALL SUPPLY AND INSTALL THE LINEAR LED LIGHTING FIXTURE AND ALL ACCESSORIES, INCLUDING VOLTAGE DRIVER, DIMMABLE DRIVER, CONNECTORS, ETC.
3. LED TAPE LIGHTS SHALL BE SECURED IN ALUMINUM CHANNELS WITH FROSTED LENSES.
2.
CEILING MOUNTED CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR CO GENERAL LIGHTING NOTES
AIR SUPPLY
24X24 RETURN AIR REGISTER
36X24 RETURN AIR REGISTER
24X5 AIR SUPPLY
ROOFTOP UNIT (RTU)
1. EC TO PROVIDE ALL NECESSARY ACCESSORIES AND COMPATIBLE DIMMER BY LUTRON OR APPROVED EQUAL.
4. EC MUST VERIFY EXACT QUANTITY OF FIXTURES PRIOR TO ORDERING.
3.
5. THE SPECIFIED LIGHTING FIXTURES SHALL BE THE BASIS OF THE BASE BID. ANY LIGHT FIXTURE THAT THE ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR PROPOSED AS A VALUE ENGINEERING SUBSTITUTION SHALL BE PROPOSED AS A DEDUCT ALTERNATE OF THE PROJECT.
6. WHERE THE SPECIFIED LIGHTING FIXTURE IS NOT AVAILABLE OR NOT AVAILABLE FOR DELIVERY TO MEET THE PROJECT SCHEDULE. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR SHALL PROPOSED EQUAL SUBSTITUTION WITH DOCUMENTATION TO VERIFY THAT THE SPECIFIED LIGHTING FIXTURE IS UNAVAILABLE.
7.ALL EXPOSED PIPING SHALL BE LABELED BY GC. (TYPICAL) 8.T AND THEIR GC ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THE
SHALL SUPPLY AND INSTALL THE LINEAR
More Information: https://wuziyuan98.wixsite.com/wuarchiotherworks/3d-modeling
