Sihang Xu Email & Phone Number

During my undergraduate years at NYU, I took courses on theories and concepts of architecture as a culture/history and courses that built models, sketches, masterplans, etc. For example, in one of the courses titled Global Cities, the professor introduced us to universal knowledge of the history of cities dating back to the Greek and Roman periods. We wrote essays on how to improve cities by analyzing ancient civilizations. On the other hand, there was also a course titled Architecture in Context. We examined our built environment like a construction, not merely bricks and mortar, but of a language itself. We considered architecture as the text and the city as a collective body of literature. Each column, wall, and roof are not only physical objects but notions of vocabulary. I learned to express my design as a piece of literature that speaks for me and the city that I lived in.During Summer 2021, I spent two months with GOA Architectural Design Studio from China as a design intern. My mentor and I were assigned a vertical farm project located at the Old Street Subway Station in London, UK. The station is underground and surrounded by a roundabout. The proposed design of the 20-story vertical farm is located on the center island of the roundabout. Unlike the traditional farms, the farm saves land use by building upwards and growing different species of vegetables with each floor. The vertical farm can generate more than 25 species of vegetables and fruits that meet local citizens’ daily nutrition needs. The harvested products were delivered to the market on the first floor, where people could directly purchase them. It eliminated the need for transportation, saved delivery time, and reduced carbon footprint. Using Green House Effect and temperature control, we were able to bring in exotic species that were previously not able to survive in UK’s climate conditions. Simultaneously, the internal functions such as rainwater collecting, dark/wastewater filtering, waste products recycling, etc., significantly contributed to a more sustainable London. Through 3D model making, site analysis, London’s policy research, local economic needs, etc. I built up the ability to collect valuable data and improved my research/investigation skills. Unlike a regular project in college, this internship is a step towards the profession. The profundity, rigidity, and abstruseness helped me gain the necessary analysis and computing skills. Also, it had challenged me to overcome procrastination and manage time. These will all become valuable resources in my future career.