Yu Zhang
Architect
Yu Zhang is an architect with PHANOMEN/design and lecturer at Purdue University
Indianapolis with work ranging from locally celebrated restaurants/bars, e.g. Livery Indy, to
projects for distinguished institutions such as the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.
Recognized at the AIA Cleveland’s Design Awards, Yu’s work in (post)digital image and
representation is heavily influenced by contemporary design discourse and the renewed interest
in architecture aesthetics. This is reflected both in his pedagogical ideals and in everyday
practice with a focused on visuals and imagery as primary generator for design.
This intersection of academia and professional work has also led to opportunities to be on
diverse teams. As part of these teams, Yu has been responsible for the re-imagining of classic
typologies into new vibrant environments and novel forms for projects such as the Wonder
School and the Martin Luther King Jr. Library in Cleveland.
Yu is a firm believer that design can simultaneously lend to distinct phenomenological realities
while successfully engaging the necessities of the public and the client.