Archinect offers an in-depth look at architect Tiantian Xu’s Spring 2025 Marcus Prize studio at UWM’s School of Architecture & Urban Planning.
The Beijing-based founder of DnA_Design and Architecture led the semester-long graduate studio with SARUP assistant professor Sam Schuermann, translating her award-winning approach to rural revitalization in China to a post-industrial site in Marinette, Wisconsin. Students explored architectural interventions at the Hattie Street Dam, applying Xu’s method of “architectural acupuncture” to regional ecological, social, and cultural questions.
The story, written by Niall Patrick Walsh, details how Xu and Schuermann challenged students to take ownership of their work, navigate cross-cultural design dialogues, and think expansively about infrastructure and community resilience.
In addition to the studio, Xu delivered a public lecture and exhibition as part of the $100,000 Marcus Prize, which Archinect describes as “one of the most generous prizes in the architecture world.”
Read the full story on Archinect.