I am a second-year Ph.D. student in Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania where I am part of the Polyhedral Structures Laboratory (PSL) concentrating on advancing structural/architectural geometry and construction technologies. My research interest is in 3D concrete printing, its application in structural systems, and methods of multi-material extrusion. I am especially excited in exploiting computational geometry and graph algorithms to optimize the energy and material efficiency of these additive manufacturing processes across the architecture, engineering, and construction industry.
I am the author of the 3D printing slicing software Ovenbird. Currently I am working on the buildability optimization of 3D concretre printing structural components at design and toolpath levels. My Ph.D. advisor is Dr. Masoud Akbarzadeh. Previously I studied at Tsinghua University and received a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, supervised by Dr. Weixin Huang, and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, supervised by Dr. Yue Du.
I write blog posts, bird watch, and run marathons. In January 2023, I designed the new Polyhedral Structures Laboratory website and have served to update it since. My full CV is available here.
Publications [By Year] [By Topic] [By Type] [By Role]
Other Projects
As Lead Researcher
Dove Wave: Inventory Constrained Design Masoud Akbarzadeh, Yiliang Shao, Yefan Zhi, Sepideh Bayat, Michael Ting Inventory-Constrained Design Competition by Eventscape 2022 New York, NY, US, First Place [Project Page]
As Part of the Installation Team
Glass Bridge: A Clear Path to Sustainability Masoud Akbarzadeh, Joseph Robert Yost, Damon Bolhassani, Jens Schneider, et al. Exhibited at the Corning Museum of Glass Dec 2024 - Sept 2025 Corning, NY, US [Project Page]
Floralis: an ETFE-Cladded, Multilaminar Timber Structure Masoud Akbarzadeh, Dorit Aviv, Frank Mateo, et al. Built in the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument 2024 Florissant, CO, US [Project Page]
Software Products
Ovenbird: Shell 3D Printing Toolpaths and GCodes Yefan Zhi, Hua Chai, Teng Teng, Masoud Akbarzadeh A plugin for Grasshopper 2022 - 2025 [Project Page] [Code]
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Architecture, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA, US, 2023 - Present
Master of Science in Design - MSD, Architecture, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA, US, 2021 - 2022
Bachelor of Architecture - BArch, Architecture, Tsinghua University Beijing, China, 2016 - 2021
Bachelor of Arts - BA, Sociology, Tsinghua University Beijing, China, 2016 - 2020