A Talk with Zihua Mo - His Architectural Insights to Reimagining Landmarks from History

This project is rooted in the cultural and physical fabric of New York City. Against the global backdrop of growing isolation and de-globalization, it seeks to rediscover shared human language—through space, food, and collective experience.

As an adaptive reuse project, it employs an unconventional design strategy—grounded in the existing building’s language yet evolving into a new, futuristic form of its own. The architecture, in its graceful posture, becomes a poetic gesture toward a better life.

I grew up in China, always fascinated by making things with my hands, by art, music, and creative expression. When I first discovered architecture in high school, it felt like the perfect balance between imagination and practicality.

I couldn’t major in architecture at the undergraduate level; instead, I studied Urban and Rural Planning. Still, I constantly joined student architecture competitions alongside architecture students. Later, I learned that U.S. graduate programs accepted students from non-architecture backgrounds. 

I applied and was admitted to the University of Pennsylvania’s M.Arch program—known for its bold aesthetics and technical rigor. After graduation, despite a challenging economy and widespread career shifts, I continued firmly on the path of architectural design.

In a world dominated by fast trends and short attention spans, our goal is to preserve a sense of integrity—to create designs that are neither trendy nor superficial. We aim to meet every basic need elegantly, push imagination courageously, and realize ambitious visions through advanced, technically sound means.

At the beginning, digitally reconstructing the Corbin Building proved far more complex than expected. Unlike many modern façades composed of modular repetition, the Corbin Building changes character as it rises—each level has different window types, proportions, and ornamentation. The intricate reliefs and decorations made the digitization process painstaking.

Yet through that process, I was, in a sense, learning across time from architects of over a century ago. Studying the historic façade inspired me to respond with a contemporary language—clean yet non-linear, respectful yet original, rejecting mere replication.

A balanced design comes from mastering both the ordinary and the cutting-edge—from understanding the most common methods to the most advanced. Only then can you find equilibrium among countless real-world constraints, making just the right compromises while still realizing an ideal vision.

Exploration, dedication and fulfillment.

Many people said the exterior looked beautiful—but what surprised me most was that, upon seeing the interior, several remarked that it felt so engaging and livable that they would love to live there. That kind of feedback reassured me that my design values truly resonate—that architecture can indeed communicate emotion and possibility.

It feels like a beautiful medal for the project—recognition of both its ideas and execution. I’m also genuinely happy to have my work exhibited alongside so many other remarkable projects from around the world.

At times when I question my own abilities or the quality of my work, this award serves as strong encouragement. It reinforces my belief in the project’s values and motivates me to continue creating designs that are innovative, impactful, and oriented toward a better everyday life.

I dream of creating a project that is bold yet refined, innovative yet deeply humane—one that elevates daily life. Without boldness, design becomes mediocre; without beauty and precision, it lacks discipline. And without serving life, it risks becoming a hollow sculpture detached from reality.

The next era of architecture will be defined by collaboration with AI—broader imagination, faster iteration, and more intelligent decision-making. Aesthetically, architecture will grow increasingly hybrid and collage-like, while socially it will shoulder greater responsibility for sustainability.

Eco-friendly materials, efficient structures, and low-impact construction methods will replace outdated ones. The age of heroic, large-scale development will give way to smaller, more refined interventions and thoughtful adaptive reuse. I hope to contribute to this evolution through creative yet responsible design.

This project itself is a form of sustainability—it’s an adaptive reuse approach that revitalizes an old façade and reactivates underused urban spaces, instead of demolishing and rebuilding from scratch. The new additions employ terra-cotta cladding, a natural, durable, and sustainable material.

Moreover, the proposed shared living model promotes resource efficiency and social sustainability by encouraging community and reducing redundancy.

I would design something the world has never seen before—an architecture that transcends imagination, just as Zaha Hadid, Enric Miralles, and Antoni Gaudí once did. Something visionary, poetic, and entirely unexpected.