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Jennifer Yifeng Zhao is a passionate young professional in the field of Architecture and Design. She constantly challenges herself on the given tasks throughout her academic training period in the BArch program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and MArch2 program at University of Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, she has practiced in a variety of firms whose expertise and pedagogy ranges from experimental research (Terreforme ONE), local design firms (Graft Architects, Ballinger), to international firms (GMP) in foreign countries. She has won various national and international awards including eVolo 2nd place, Henry Adams Certificate, Alpha Rho Chi medal, etc. and her work has been published in ArchDaily, Dezeen, CNN, Daily Mail, Designboom, etc. Rooted in China, Jennifer is en route to  take on more challenges globally. 

 

Education

University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | 2015-2016 Dec
Master of Architecture (Post Professional Degree)
Department Student Representative
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY | 2010-2015
Bachelor of Architecture | cum laude | Minor in Psychology
GPA: 3.67 | 4.00 | Rank: Top 5% | Dean’s List

experience

Bedford Initiatives | Paris, France | 2015
10-day Traveling Workshop Selective by the Bedford Fellowship
Conjoined by a Group of Selected Architects and Civil Engineers
CASE Program [Center for Architecture Science and Ecology]  | New York, NY | 2014
Research Program Co-hosted by Rensselaer and SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP)
Collaborative Interdisciplinary Research Assistant | EDDS [Electropolymeric Dynamic Daylighting System]
Rome Study Abroad Program | Rome, Italy | 2012
Workshop at Politecnico Di Torino | Studio at University of Arkansas Rome Center
[Re]Intervention of Pallazo Lavoro
SOS Ciudades Conference | Macapa, Brazil | 2013
Taller Sudamerica Arquitectura ten-day Workshop Series at Macapa | Brazil
Volunteer in Rebuilding Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | 2016
Repairing Houses in Mantua Neighborhood

employment

Penn Design Teaching Assistant | MSD Advanced Studio | Philadelphia, PA | 2016
On-going semester student teaching assistant with Professor Ali Rahim, Nate Hume, Robert Neumayr, Ezio Blasetti.
Ballinger Architects | Architectural Internship | Philadelphia, PA | 2016
Penn Medicine Radnor Center Schematic Design
Terreform ONE New Lab | Research Internship | New York, NY | 2014
Exhibition “Post Carbon City” Design and Fabrication
RPI Structures II Teaching Assistant | Troy, NY | 2015
Assisting curriculum preparation and homework grading
GMP Architekten von Gerkan, Marg un Partner | Architectural Internship | Shanghai, China | 2013
South Bond Commercial Complex Planning Competition
Suzhou Sports Park Center Parametric Modeling and Structure Component Design
Graft Architects | Architecture Internship | Beijing, China | 2012
Lingshui Bay Resort Hotel and Restaurant Schematic Design
RPI SoA Publications | Website Editor | Photographer | Troy, NY | 2011-2015
[Re]envisioning Hyde at Glens Falls | Exhibition Assembly and Photography
[Influx] All School Project Book Publication | Photography
[JIAO-ZHI]: Tectonic Interworkings at Shanghai’s South Bund | Text Translation
Capital of Design Application Committee | Design Assistant | Beijing China | 2011
Assisting the committee for Beijing to achieve to be titled as the Capital of Design in 2011
University of Delaware Art Conservation Research  | Collaboration with Tsinghua University | Liaoning, China | 2010
Fresco Preservation in Fengguo Temple

Awards and merits

eVolo Skyscraper Competition Second Prize Winner | 2016
Selected from 489 projects from all continents
PennDesign Scholarship Recipient | 2015
Merit-based scholarship granted by the Architecture Department in University of Pennsylvania
Bedford Fellowship Recipient | 2015
Granted for the expenses during the 10-day Bedford travel workshop in Paris  
Henry Adams Fund | The Certificate of Merit | 2015
For excellence in the study of Architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Alpha Rho Chi Medal | 2015
Awarded for leadership, willing service, and promise of profesional merit
Harriet R.Peck Prize Nomination | 2015
For best solution to a Thesis Project in Architecture Design
The Design Award | 2014
Fourth Year Student of Architecture and General Studies
The Fourth Year Faculty Award | 2014
For generally high scholastic attainment in the study of architecture and general studies at RPI

skills and languages

Adobe Suite ( Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign) | Aperture | Auto CAD
Rhinoceros (Grasshopper | Vray) | Maya | 3DS MAX | Maxwell Studio | Revit
Processing | Python | Rhinoscript | Ecotect Analysis | RISA Analysis
Hand Drafting | Physical Modeling | Laser Cut | CNC Mill | 3D Printing
Chinese (Native) | English (Fluent) | Italian (Elementry) | German (Elementry) 

publications