Good design lies in the craft of an architecture that effectively organizes functional components toward achieving particular objectives. 

I find deep joy in devising rigorous and creative architectures for solving complex problems. Rigor stems from a thorough grasp of functional components and their interactions in a solution space. Creativity emerges from a broad view of the problem space from which salient, perhaps unexpected, framings can be derived.

To arrive closer to such architecture, I believe there are no better ways than exploring novel concepts daringly, testing prototypes often and meticulously, and finally, seeking and incorporating feedback proactively.



SKILLS

Programming

Python / Java / C
UML Diagrams
GoF Design Patterns
Data Structures
Algorithms

Data Science

NumPy
Pandas
PySpark
Data Preprocessing
Data Visualization
AWS / GCP

Machine Learning

Feature Engineering
End-to-end Training
Linear Models
Deep Learning Architecture
PyTorch / Tensorflow / Scikit-learn

DevOps

Git
Gradle
API Design
Unit Testing
Travis CI

Design

Sketching
Computational Design
Schematic Design
Design Development
Graphic Design
Design Visualization

Software

Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Indesign
AutoCAD
Revit
Rhino/Grasshopper


 


EXPERIENCE


Design Computation Leader |  2021.08 - 

NBBJ Design, New York, New York
Responsible for developing in-house computation tools for architectural design and contribute to firm-wide digital initiatives.

Intern Designer  |  2020.09 - 2021.08

Speranza Architecture + Urban Design, Remote, Part-time.
Responsible for urban studies, data analytics, and visualization. Developed sensor modules for building climate data collection.

Graduate Teaching Assistant  |  2019.01 – 2019.05

Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Teaching assistant for Fundamentals of Computational Design. Responsible for organizing in-class workshops, project reviews and grading.

Intern Designer  |  2017.01 – 2017.08

Future Expansion Architect, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Responsible for schematic design, design development and visualization, and fabrication coordination on projects including public art installation, building renovation and private residential site planning.

Architectural Intern  |  2016.10 – 2016.12

Speranza Architecture + Urban Design, Eugene, Oregon, U.S.
Responsible for digital modeling and design visualization in pre-design studies for various residential, commercial and public projects.

Co-Editor-in-Chief  |  2015.05 – 2016.08

KTISMA Journal, Eugene, Oregon, U.S.
Directed the curation and publication for KTISMA Journal Issue 6, Unsettled. Collaborated on graphic design for Issue 4: Inevitability, and Issue 5: Lick Your Buildings.



EDUCATION


M.S. in Computational Design  |  2018.08 - 2020.08

Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA

Bachelor of Architecture  |  2011.09 - 2016.06

University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Magna Cum Laude Honor





CERTIFICATES

Architecture and System Engineering  |  2017.09 - 2018.03

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT x PRO



RESEARCH


Research Assistant  |  2018.09 - 2018.12

Spatial Analytic, Carnegie Mellon University
Research assistance in analyzing spatial features and building classifications. Responsible for spatial data preparation and automating spatial feature extraction from architectural plans.

Research Assistant + Designer  |  2013.04 - 2016.06

Urban Interaction Lab, University of Oregon Assisted research on urban social interaction in Barcelona, Spain, and Portland (OR), U.S., using computational methods to analyze and visualize urban data.



PUBLICATION

Ferrando, Cecilia, Daniel Cardoso Llach, Niccolo Dalmasso, and Jiawei Mai. “Using Machine Learning to Analyze Architectural Traditions.” In Hello, Culture (CAAD Futures, Daejeon, Korea, 2019).

Speranza, P., Keisler, K. and Mai, V. (2015) “Social Interaction and Cohesion Tool: A Geospatial Analysis Tool to Develop Small Urban Planning for Barcelona’s Superillas”. Association of Computer-Aided Design in Architecture Conference, 2015.



AWARDS

2016    Graduation Student Commencement Speaker,
             School of Architecture and Environment, University of Oregon
2015    ACADIA Conference Student Scholarship
2015    Lyceum Fellowship Competition First Place
2015    Royal Society of Arts (U.S.), Sustainable Design Practice Award
2014    University of Oregon A&AA Intersection Design Competition Second Place
2014    AIA Southwest Oregon Student Design Award: Transporting Miami
2014    Danish Institute of Study Abroad, Summer Academic Excellence Awar