CO-CREATE
WITH
EVERYONE
YH LAB directs its focus toward resolving the most difficult landscape and urban design challenges by co-creating with everyone.
Our world is currently experiencing a significant phase of uncertainty, characterized by accelerated technological advancements, economic fluctuations, conflict between nations, collision and fusion of different cultures, impending ecological issues, and large-scale unpredictable events. These transformative forces are swiftly reshaping our living environment, consequently giving rise to unparalleled challenges in natural and urban environments.
We started YH LAB to address these challenges. Our team possesses a comprehensive foundation of research and professional practice, demonstrating proficiency in effectively employing advanced ideas and technologies to address practical issues. This amalgamation of academic and practical expertise instills within us the assurance to tackle any challenges pertaining to urban public spaces.
Meanwhile, the diverse cultural backgrounds of the founding team are one of our key differentiators from other design firms. As immigrants in the United States, we possess a natural advantage in diversity, fostering cross-cultural and cross-racial communication, and diverse perspectives. This enables us to draw from the experiences of various cultures, races, and cities worldwide, as well as to listen, embrace, connect, and co-create with everyone.
Meet Us
Yadan Luo
As the Creative Director of YHLAB, Yadan Luo has 10+ years of working experience in urban & landscape architecture design both in the United States and China. He has worked for several first-tier design offices worldwide, such as OLIN, LANDDESIGN, and Turenscape. In his professional career, Yadan Luo has led and participated in various design projects with different scales and categories, such as Philadelphia 30th Street Station Planning; Pier 26 at Hudson River Park in Manhattan, New York; Buffalo First Marina Park; Los Angeles Convention Center renovation; Google Bay View Campus, Microsoft Campus Modernization, Guangzhou Pazhou Cultural Plaza; Shenzhen ZTE Headquarters. He has extremely rich experience in dealing with complex urban landscape design, unique insights, and creative design.
Parallel to practice, Yadan is also committed to research and education. He has been studying adaptable streets initiated by his autonomous urbanism research since 2018. Yadan teaches Media I: Drawing and Visualization, and co-teaches Studio II LARP 502 and Summer Institutes courses at Landscape Architecture Department, Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania. He also co-taught studios and seminars at Penn State University and China Central Academy of Fine Arts.
Based on his experiences of practicing, researching, teaching, and living in both the United States and China, he has developed the belief that landscape architecture serves as the ideal medium for cohesive humans and nature. Additionally, he recognizes that comprehending and forging connections between diverse cultures and societies is of utmost importance in addressing global environmental challenges and uncovering potential opportunities.
Hong Zhang
Director of Operations / Co-Founder
Ms. Zhang Hong, a co-founder of YH LAB, boasts an extensive background in the design industry. Her professional journey includes stints at renowned firms such as Beijing Turenscape and Ecoland Design Institute. Throughout her career, she actively engaged in and led numerous real estate and public landscape projects in China. Having nurtured a deep passion for landscape design for many years, Ms. Hong ventured into the role of an independent design consultant upon relocating to the United States. From there, she embarked on remote collaborations with various design institutes in China, contributing her expertise to a diverse array of landscape and urban design projects.
In 2023, she co-founded YH LAB with Yadan Luo, assuming multifaceted responsibilities for the company. Her role encompasses the design and business development of projects in China, the formulation of strategic initiatives, daily operations oversight, project management, resource coordination, and numerous other tasks. Ms. Hong's dedication has manifested through her practical endeavors and innovative thinking, as she continuously pushes the boundaries of landscape design.