Yiwen Yuan is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at Indiana University’s J. Irwin Miller Architecture Program. Holding a Ph.D. in Architecture and Urbanism from the University of Sydney, her research explores the intersection of architecture, nature, and urbanisation through the historical and contemporary lens of relational design. Her doctoral thesis, The Politics of Changing Waterscapes in Wuhan, approaches materiality as relational, transscalar, and intrinsically political. It examines the fascinating case of Wuhan, a city whose transformation reveals complex interactions between environmental, social, technological, and political forces that persist to this day. Her research has been published in several Q1 journals including Journal of Urban Affairs and Planning Perspectives.

As an architect, Yuan holds a master’s degree in advanced architectural design from Columbia University in The City of New York and has a decade of professional experience in a global practice, including significant contributions with MAD Architects. Projects she led have received the Gold Award of the Tien-yow Jeme Civil Engineering Prize (2021) and AZ Award People’s Choice (2023). Her works have also been exhibited widely, including at the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Biennale (2016) and the China Central Academy of Fine Arts (2014).

As a committed educator, Yuan has taught architectural design studios across all levels, as well as courses in the history and theory of global architecture and urban design. Student projects under her supervision have received prestigious recognition, including the NSW Architects Registration Board Award (2024) and First Prize in the “Street-Corner Urbanism” International Competition (2018).