Archinect's Fellow Fellows series showcases individuals who are currently in, or have recently finished, an architecture fellowship. During our conversations, we discuss their architectural journey, areas of research, and their overall experience as academic fellows. For our latest interview, we connected with Christina Chi Zhang, the 2023–24 Harry der Boghosian Fellow at Syracuse University School of Architecture. Zhang shares her experiences navigating the intersections of architecture, storytelling, and social justice, her approach to teaching and research, and the inspiration behind her fellowship exhibition, I found within me an invincible summer. Through her work, she explores how architecture can serve as a tool for healing and reclamation in post-traumatic cities, incorporating narratives from both human and non-human perspectives.

Darkened corners, poorly-lit cars, vandalism, and other physical and psychological indicators that crime is present or can thrive still underpin its persistence on subways and in stations in New York City. This has led to a widespread perception of danger. And, in real terms, the neglect has spurred a 160% increase in arrests throughout the system over the last two years. With the number of felony assaults now on the rise and outnumbering robberies in the subway system 2-to-1, Claire Weisz, founding principal of Brooklyn-based WXY Architecture + Urban Design, whose related work on civic engagement will be on display inside the official United States Pavilion at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, spoke to Archinect about the new Vital City guidances and her personal connection as a New Yorker and the co-founder of Design Trust for Public Space.

Archinect's latest Studio Snapshot features Portland, Maine-based design-build practice Woodhull. Founded in 2003 by Caleb Johnson, the firm has grown into a New England powerhouse with a reputation for combining locally-inspired design with impeccable craftsmanship and natural materials.  In our conversation, Johnson talks about how they integrate multiple disciplines within the practice and what qualities Woodhull looks for in new hires.

Hawaii Off-Grid Architecture and Engineering’s commitment to ecological concerns and promoting the overall betterment of their Hawaiian community through the built environment is well-known within the state’s design circles, ten years after being founded by architect David Sellers, civil engineer Jacob Freeman, and now-retired architect Rick McGovern. Recently, the practice has been active in rebuilding efforts in Maui following the catastrophic 2023 wildfires that displaced as many as 12,000 people. Now, their brand-new Surf Block Maui manufacturing offshoot has made local headlines for using the EPS/styrofoam waste products from surfboards as a composite for a new kind of lightweight concrete building material. Interested in joining Hawaii Off-Grid's team? The firm is currently hiring a Junior/Project Architect in Haiku on Archinect Jobs.