Ria Zhang_Portfolio_2025 by Ria Zhang

RIA RUIXIN ZHANG

Education

University of Pennsylvania

Master of Architecture

Integrated Product Design Certificate

Philadelphia, United States

The University of Sydney Bachelor of Design in Architecture

Sydney, Australia

Architectural Association School of Architecture (The AA) Study Abroad Program

London, England

Professional Experience

ZGF Architects, Portland

Full-time Architecture Intern

Tel: (475) 227-9767

Email: ruixinz2021@gmail.com

Location: Philadelphia, PA

June 2024 - August 2024

- Participated in the construction administration phase of Portland International Airport. Assisted in responding to architectural RFI’s, going on punch walks, etc.

- Preparation of initial design documentation and drawings in the conceptual development phase of an ongoing project.

Neri&Hu Design and Research Office, Shanghai

Full-time Architecture Intern

April 2022 - June 2022

- Contributed to conceptualization, design development, and material research for the renovation of a thermal baths project.

- Participated in interior and landscape design refinement and strategic planning for a chapel project.

- Played an integral role in producing presentation materials, including diagrams and renders.

ArchiJusture, Shanghai

Assistant Architect

- Assisted in master planning, form exploration, and facade design for a shopping mall project.

- Supported the preparation of presentation materials and engaged in client meetings.

January 2021 - September 2021

- Contributed to schematic design development and analyzed building code for a kindergarten project.

Studio FSJ, Beijing

Full-time Architecture Intern

September 2020 - December 2020

- Collaborated closely with construction teams to coordinate technical drawings for residential projects.

- Produced physical models to assess spatial qualities during the design development phase.

- Contributed to design refinement and created digital models for a small-scale resort project.

Atelier Deshaus, Shanghai

Full-time Architecture Intern

April 2020 - August 2020

- Created structural study models, explored interior design concepts, and conducted material studies for a residential project.

- Assisted in master planning and form exploration for a high-rise complex project.

Software Skills Language Skills

Modeling: Revit, Rhino, AutoCAD, SketchUp, ZBrush, 3ds Max

Rendering: V-ray, Lumion, Enscape, Keyshot, Unreal Engine

Parametric Design: Grasshopper

Visualizing: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign

English (Fluent) Chinese Mandarin (Native)

Bridges of Serenity

Educational and Meditation Retreat Complex

Dolmen Domain An Asian Center for All 602 Studio | Spring, 2024

Sanctuary of Anonymity

Red Hook Urban Housing 601 Studio | Fall, 2023

702 Studio | Spring, 2025 8sqm Kitchen

| Bridges of Serenity |

Educational and Meditation Retreat Complex, Hanoi

Academic Studio Design

Instructor: Vo Trong Nghia

Individual Work

Set in the mountainous landscape of northern Vietnam, Bridges of Serenity is a retreat-style educational complex designed to foster focused learning, research, and meditative living. Inspired by vernacular stilt architecture and passive climatic strategies, the project integrates classrooms, research labs, dormitories, and a meditation hall into the terrain through a grid-based layout.

The design establishes a dialogue between two spatial conditions: grounded, staggered volumes that follow the site’s topography and massive concrete “bridges” that span across the landscape. These bridges serve both as circulation paths and programmatic dividers— creating elevated moments of reflection and spatial contrast. Material studies emphasized sustainable, locally-sourced options including bamboo, timber, rammed earth, and light-filtering cladding systems.

By combining contextual sensitivity with a clear architectural order, the project aims to balance immersion in nature with moments of elevation and abstraction—creating an environment of calm, purpose, and contemplation.

Preliminary Study

Bird View

New York City, home to over one million Asian Americans, has the largest Asian population of any U.S. city. Dolmen Domain aims to establish an Asian community center featuring a Meditation Center, Zen Garden, and Asian Art Museum. This space will serve as a hub for cultural, social, and spiritual activities, fostering a sense of belonging and empowerment. By promoting intercultural dialogue and appreciation, it will strengthen community ties while enriching the city’s diversity. Dolmen Domain will celebrate Asian heritage while supporting the evolving identity of Asian Americans, provide a platform for fostering intercultural dialogue, contributing to a more inclusive and connected New York City.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir Seneca Village Site

Site - Central Park, Seneca Village

Plan of The Forbidden City, Beijing & Project Plan

Long Section

Simon Kim

Short Section

Concrete Panel Facade Details

Wood Louvre Facade Details

Metal Mesh Double Facade Details | Dolmen Domain

1/16'' = 1'0'' Physical Model

| Dolmen Domain

Instructor: Ben Krone

Type A: 4-Unit Plan

Type B: 2-Unit Plan

Instructor: Ben Krone

Hooke Park Conceptual Model

The unique, irregular shapes of individual wooden forks embody the essence of nondigital design. Each piece, with its natural imperfections, disrupts the uniformity of machine-made objects, offering a tactile experience that celebrates craftsmanship and material authenticity. While our selection of forks is based on program height requirements, the dynamic nature of the roof is entirely influenced by the contours of the found wood, creating a harmonious blend between function and material authenticity.

Hybrid Wood-Steel Column Tree Branch Form Study Hooke Park Model 3D Scan & Analysis

Homa Farjadi, Pierandrea Angius

Structure Development Diagram

| The Counterpoint |

Sydney Performance Space, Sydney Academic Studio Design

Instructor: Jason Dibbs Individual

Due to the immigration history, Sydney has been infilled with a diversity of ethnicities and cultures. This has brought a series of conflicts and inequality between diverse groups of people who shares distinct background and lifestyle.

Aiming to resolve the disseverance and evoke for cultural interweave, the Counterpoint provides diverse functions of performance space to the users but integrates them by coherent architectural language. Through the investigation of geometrical forms and gestures, abstract spatial experiences and manipulative circulation gradually lead the users of different groups to gather, appeal for communication, and cultural interweaving.

Site Analysis

Located at the edge of Sydney CBD, the site is surrounded by complex environment. Conflict is everywhere – modern and history, wide natural and dense city. People experience the shifting of intensity on the way to it, transitioned from dense urban environment to a wide natural landscape.

Fall

Instructor: Jason Dibbs

Detail Model - Live House Section

Detail Model - Sparrow Ramps

Sectional Perspective

Detail Model - Supporing store

Detail Model - Stage

Circulation Diagram

This project intents to introduce a continues journey to the visitors. Entering from two seperated buildings, the visitors will smoothly follow a series of curved architectural elements along with the enjoyment of diverse types of musics. Eventually, they will encounter in the central countyart. Conversations are encoraged to happen in this socialable space.

Music Hall - Cafeteria

Music Hall - Sparrow Ramp Fall 2019

Instructor: Jason Dibbs

Live House - Reicption

Live House - Dance Floor

| The Counterpoint

Site Analysis

The site is located in Redfern, an inlannd residential area. Distant from the beaches, the swimming center provides oppotunities for the local resident to get simulative water experience. Passive design and height variation of the existing context has been carefully considered during the design process.Working model made by paper has inspired the resulting roof shape undulating like wave on the sea.

1. Vertical point load applied to glulam cable roofing

Structure Study

Working models made by paper and timber tested the wavy forms and spatial qualities. The final designed appears a catenary shape to benefit the long-span timber structure. Catanery cables efficiently bend along vertical load, providing a duraable and simple structure solution.

1. Wind load applied to timber facade

2. Load transfers horizontally from catenary glulam twin cables in tension to glulam beams

3. Glulam beams span on top of glulam columns

4. Load transfers vertically along columns in compression to conc. pier footing

5. Steel wire rope in tension force delivers load to conc. pier footing

2. Load tranfers along timber mullions horizontally

3. Vertical timber mullions deliver load to ground and roof

4. CLT bracing panel on glulam cables diagonally pass force to rigid beams

5. Horizontally force transfers along rigid beams

6. CLT bracing panel diagonally transfers horizontal force to column

7. Glulam column delivers force to pier footing and ultimately into ground | Urban

1. Site divided by hierarchy of publicness

3. Waving roof follows the surrounding height

5. Entrance plaza with seating / Outdoor paddle pool area

2. Massing of functions arranged

4. East-facing skylights / roof top drying area response to the sun

6. Welcoming east-northern summer breeze / blocking cold west wind

Relationship with the coastline Site Analysis

Instructor: Jonathan Evans

Oasis

Instructor: Jonathan Evans

| Shidu Country Retreat |

Residential Retreat Renovation

Shidu, Hebei, 2020

Supervisor: Shujun Fang, Studio FSJ

Phrase of Participation: Conceptual Design, Design Development, Construction Administration

Role of Participation: Assist the architects with schematic design, interior design, material study etc.

Project Status: Built

Due to overpopulation, the living and public spaces in traditional quadrangle courtyard complexes are overflowed and recklessly occupied by add-on structures. Respecting the historical reminiscences, we renovated an 8sqm add-on storage, transforming it into a kitchenette with a rooftop terrace for small gatherings. We have considered not only the efficiency of facilities but also the communal attributes of the traditional courtyard to return a sociable space to the neighbors, infusing the community with vibrancy.