Dr. Wei Zhao

Biography

Windy Zhao is an Assistant Professor in the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned her Ph.D. in Architecture. Her research focuses on issues concerning underrepresented social groups in the built environment, exploring themes of social equity, cultural diversity, globalization, and urbanization. Zhao integrates various theories and methods from Architecture, urban studies, historic preservation, heritage studies, and anthropology to enhance the understanding of architectural and environmental design, emphasizing that the built environment is not merely a technocratic entity but is shaped by contextual, relational, and cultural factors. She has authored two books: "Historical Path Yanxia" (Tsinghua University Press, 2013) and "Home House: Transformation of Life, Place, Tradition in Rural China" (Routledge, 2022). In addition to her research, she is a licensed architect in the United States and runs a multidisciplinary design, research, and consulting practice called MPlacez, aiming to provide innovative interdisciplinary approaches that create culturally rooted and socially sustainable places.

Research Interests