Zhiyu (Amanda) Zhang is an architecture student at Syracuse University pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture with a minor in Real Estate. She is on track to graduate in 2026 and has maintained a strong academic record, earning Dean’s List recognition every semester. Over five years of architectural education, she has come to understand architecture not as a static object, but as a living archive of space and a systems-driven tool. This perspective frames buildings as long-lasting cultural and environmental agents, requiring designers to engage not only present needs but also projected futures. Her work consistently operates across scales—from the thickness of a wall to the sprawl of an urban territory—and gravitates toward marginalized communities and pressing socio-environmental questions.

Amanda’s work sits at the intersection of architecture, urban design, and development. She has gained professional experience across a wide range of practices, including Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Vector Architects, Leong Leong, C.Y. Lee & Partners, Arquitectonica, and Studio Ponsi. Her experience spans multiple project phases—from concept design and competitions to design development and construction documentation—across diverse typologies such as urban master planning, waterfront redevelopment, hospitality, education, housing, and retail. She has contributed to projects in the United States, China, and Europe, collaborating within interdisciplinary teams and international contexts.

In parallel with practice, Amanda is deeply engaged in academic research exploring coastal resilience, rural housing policy, adaptive reuse, and heritage preservation through faculty-advised research initiatives and fieldworks. She is a LEED Green Associate and the recipient of multiple awards, including the Architecture Design Excellence Award from the Design Resilience Global Competition and the Enclosing Systems and Material Development Award from Syracuse University’s Integrated Design Studio Prize.