Yanci Chen is a Seattle-based architect and designer whose work bridges the boundaries between architecture, art, and technology. She is a Technical Designer at Gensler and co-founder of YCJ Studio, an independent practice dedicated to research-driven design, competitions, and exhibitions. Her work seeks to create meaningful, human-centered spaces that balance innovation, context, and emotion.
Yanci holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Architecture from Dalian University of Technology, with additional study experience at Technische Universität Darmstadt in Germany. At Gensler, she has contributed to global workplace, science, and mixed-use projects across the United States and Asia.
Through YCJ Studio, Yanci explores the intersection of environmental design, materiality, and digital imagination. Her studio’s works, including Silent Currents, Nautical Club Ohrid, and Weihai Art Museum, have been internationally recognized for their conceptual depth and aesthetic innovation. The studio has received multiple honors such as the A' Design Award, Red Dot Design Award, BLT Built Design Awards, French Design Awards (Gold and Silver), London Design Awards (Gold and Silver), A+Awards. Her works have also been showcased at international exhibitions in New York, London, Guangzhou, and the United States, highlighting a continuous pursuit of experimentation and interdisciplinary storytelling.
In addition to her design achievements, Yanci has served as a jury member for international platforms including A’ Design Awards, INSPIRELI Awards, the Architecture and Design Community, Global Architecture Awards, contributing her expertise to support emerging designers and global design dialogue. Her projects often explore how architecture can engage the senses and emotions while addressing broader themes such as ecological resilience, social interaction, and cultural memory.
Yanci’s approach to design emphasizes empathy, precision, and imagination. She believes architecture is not only a physical construction but also a medium for reflection, a language that connects human experience with environmental awareness and technological possibility.

Crevice Art Museum by Yanci Chen This design draws inspiration from Confucius' reverence for mountains and water, blending seamlessly with Shandong's terraced landscapes and flowing waterways. The Crevice concept, represented through bold triangular forms and fluid paths, integrates harmoniously with the natural surroundings, reflecting an extension of the earth. It offers a modern interpretation of ancient traditions, shaping a journey that invites visitors to connect deeply with the space, fostering a sense of tranquility and cultural reflection.

Grow Together Microhome by Yanci Chen Grow Together is a modular micro housing solution addressing homelessness in Seattle by integrating off grid shelters into residential backyards. Designed for social reintegration, it balances privacy and community engagement through adaptable spaces, urban farming, and sustainable systems. Utilizing passive design strategies, and renewable energy, it offers a scalable, self sufficient housing model that fosters dignity, social inclusion, and environmental responsibility.

Pine to Sea Urban Renew by Yanci Chen Pine to Sea is an eco-hotel and landscape masterplan designed to restore the Lignano Pinewood while offering a sustainable tourism experience. Elevated cabins, floating walkways, and wetland regeneration create a minimal impact retreat that blends architecture with nature. Using modular prefabrication, passive design, and adaptive reuse, the project preserves biodiversity while redefining eco-hospitality, ensuring long-term environmental resilience and community engagement.

Slient Currents Memorial and Ecological Restoration by Yanci Chen Silent Currents reimagines a former nuclear test site as a marine sanctuary and memorial, weaving together ecological healing and collective memory. The design introduces marine grade concrete reef structures to catalyze coral growth and support biodiversity. Submerged pathways and floating observation platforms invite visitors to engage with the underwater landscape, bearing witness to nature’s quiet resurgence. Harnessing tidal energy, the project embodies a symbolic and functional shift toward sustainability, establishing a powerful dialogue between past devastation and future renewal.

Yanci Chen

Washington

Yanci Chen is ICCI member since 2025, with 8129 ICCI rating.