Hi Xianlong, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The Yichang Music Town Planning project should be the most meaningful project in my career path.
– Background of Project
This project represents a pivotal urban design initiative aimed at transforming a small town within Yichang city into a world-famous music hub, capable of attracting thousands of visitors worldwide. Given its strategic importance, the government is deeply invested in its success and aims for completion within a five-year timeframe. The project encompasses a vast development area spanning 60,984,000 square feet, featuring a comprehensive array of facilities including theaters, hotels, commercial plazas, and residential complexes.
– Design Process
During my tenure at the Shenzhen General Institute of Architectural Design and Research, I play as a leading role in the Yichang Music Town Planning Project. Working with a team of seven individuals, we initiated the project with a SWOT analysis to assess the site’s conditions. Drawing from our research and analysis, we generated multiple urban development concepts through brainstorming sessions. Notably, I introduced the concept of “flowing energy,” drawing inspiration from local traditional beliefs, to infuse the commercial area with a distinctive ambiance. This concept of “flowing energy” permeated throughout the entire project, imbuing the music town with dynamic, vibrant, and inviting spaces.
– Commercial Success and Social Impact
The project has yielded great commercial success and social impact. The revamped urban design received government approval for land usage and garnered high praise. Its success has attracted approximately 5 billion yuan in infrastructure investments to the city. Recognizing its economic potential, the government is keen to expedite construction. Moreover, the project has received substantial media attention from prominent news outlets such as Xinlang News, Toutiao News, and Sohu News. And recently, the project is awarded as Gold level prize in 2024 MUSE Design Awards.https://design.
Xianlong, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am an architectural designer who firmly believes that excellent architectural design can make a profound difference in people’s living experience.
I hold a B.Arch degree from Wuhan University of Technology and a Master of Science in Design degree from University of Pennsylvania. Throughout my academic journey, I gained valuable internship experience both in China and the US, with stints at BLT Architects, Shenzhen Institute of AD & R, and others. After graduation, I started my professional career at Genesis AEC, where I contributed to pharmaceutical projects and supported the marketing team. Subsequently, I seized an opportunity at Gensler Chicago, a globally renowned firm, where I joined as a key member of the design studio, leading projects across various sectors such as residential, commercial, and hospitality. My tenure at Gensler provided me with an exceptional platform to further hone my design abilities.
Armed with a solid academic foundation and extensive professional experience, I have cultivated an outstanding skill set, allowing me to excel as an architectural designer and progress along my career path.
Beyond my professional endeavors, I actively engage with other organizations to enhance living spaces for individuals. Collaborating with Closets by Design, I offer customized closet services to clients throughout the Chicagoland area, contributing to commercial success to the franchise firm. Additionally, I pursue opportunities to renovate houses, significantly transforming inhabitable residential properties into comfortable living spaces. These efforts contribute significantly to improving the living environment.
To design with empathy and social responsibility, I am committed to collaborating with non-profit organizations to provide living space consultations or design services for marginalized groups, including the aging community and those in need of affordable housing within the LGBTQ+ community.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
All reputation is built upon outstanding design intelligence, demonstrated through excellent project experiences and satisfied clients.
– Project Background
One project I was deeply involved in is the Kinzie and Morgan Development, a mixed-use development located in West Loop, Chicago. This project consists of three towers located at the intersection of Kinzie St and Morgan St in Fulton Market. The project will feature a total of 1,500 rental apartments, respectively, offering a mix of studios, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom units. Notably, approximately 290 of these apartments will be designated as affordable housing units.
– Design Solutions
I take pride in our team’s ability to deliver exceptional design solutions. By incorporating our expertise, we were able to provide an adequate number of affordable residential units, thereby alleviating housing burdens within the West Loop neighborhood. Furthermore, we addressed concerns regarding parking availability by confidently providing sufficient parking spots for the buildings. Additionally, through the implementation of reduced curb-cuts and integrated landscape design, we significantly enhanced the pedestrian experience.
– Social Impact
This project is so impactful that it is pressed in several news media, including Chicago Yimby, Block Club Chicago and Urbanize. This project is very profound for my career, because I am providing more affordable residential units for the neighborhood and elevating the pedestrian experience. All of these are doing favor of social wellness with my design talents. These always means a lot to the clients, community and society. These efforts helped me to build my reputation in the industry.
The impact of this project has gained attention from various news media outlets, including Chicago Yimby, Block Club Chicago, and Urbanize. This project holds significant personal and professional importance for me, as it involves providing more affordable housing options for the neighborhood while enhancing the overall pedestrian experience. These efforts contribute positively to social well-being through the application of my design talents, ultimately benefiting clients, the community, and society at large. Such endeavors have played a crucial role in shaping my reputation within the industry.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The most effective strategy for growing clientele is to increase the exposure of your design intelligence to the public and gain recognition from them.
I vividly recall my participation in the “DaCheng Xiaomei” Community Micro-Renovation Design Competition, an experience that significantly contributed to building nation-wide recognition for my design achievements and expanding my clientele.
“DaCheng Xiaomei” is a competition organized by the city of Wuhan, bringing together professional designers from all over the country to propose innovative urban renovation solutions for historic blocks in the city. The competition garnered immense interest, receiving 900 submissions from across China, including major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. Ultimately, only 13 projects were selected as finalists. I was honored to be chosen as one of the finalists and was awarded the 2nd prize.
This competition served as a platform to showcase my talent and set me apart within the design industry. It also received extensive coverage in major media outlets in China such as Sina News, Fenghuang News, and Changjiang Daily. As a result of this media exposure and nationwide recognition, I began to receive inquiries from the local community who were impressed by my designs and expressed interest in collaborating on their projects. This marked the beginning of my client base expansion.
Image Credits
Credit: Yuze Jin, Hongjie Xie, KM Arial View: Source: chicago.urbanize.city, Gensler