My name is Ruiqi Zhu, and I am currently studying MA Architecture and Adaptive Reuse as a one-year master’s student. I come from Guangdong, China, where I developed an interest in how cities grow, transform, and carry layers of history within their buildings. Studying adaptive reuse has deepened my curiosity about how architecture can extend the life of existing structures, allowing the past and present to coexist in meaningful ways.

Outside of architecture, I enjoy hiking and listening to music, both of which help me reset and observe the world more carefully. Hiking allows me to appreciate landscape, scale, and orientation — and I’m proud to say I have a very strong sense of direction. Whether navigating a city or a mountain trail, I enjoy understanding how spaces connect and unfold, which naturally influences the way I think about architecture.