Amy Xu

Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Education Background: Bachelor of Business Administration, Richard Ivey School of Business, Western University

How did you get interested in your field?
I developed an interest in landscape architecture and urban design early on, then pursued business to learn about the relationship between the world of finance/economics and design. I knew it was time to finally apply to MLA programs while collaborating with landscape architects and was able to witness first-hand the combination of design, ecology, and problem-solving.

What was your background prior to coming to Penn?
I graduated in 2021 with an Honours of Business Administration degree from Western University, Canada. Before Weitzman, I lived in Toronto and worked for two years in real estate development. First, as a Development Analyst at Oxford Properties, where I worked on proforma, market, and due diligence
analyses to support the development of commercial real estate assets. I then joined an impact-investment firm called TAS and worked on the Investments team for affordable housing, brownfield redevelopment, and mixed-use residential projects.

Why did you choose Penn?
I was won over by Penn during the in-person spring Open House event! It’s a complex decision but I was most impressed by the student work, emphasis on site/field work, and cohesion of the LARP department. The professors struck me as being dynamic and deeply engaged in the students’ wellbeing and development as designers.

What has been your favorite class so far?
As a first year, I’ve been really loving Workshop and Studio so far. The Workshop field trips are incredible- sketching and observing nature is a very effective way to learn and de-stress. Studio has provided a lot of freedom to explore ideas and materials, which I’ve found to be very playful and
challenging.

What are you learning right now that will help you in the future?
Collaboration with other designers and communicating design ideas has been a great practice to develop further in the program. Media has also provided a great foundation of graphic skills with rendering programs and traditional art mediums.

What do you like best about Philadelphia?
The food is amazing! I was definitely spoiled by the variety and quality of food in Toronto, but Philly really holds its own on the food scene. It’s a great place to live if you enjoy trying new restaurants and bars.

What kinds of activities and/or organizations are you involved in?
I’m also the International Student rep for my cohort and part of the Garden club.

What are your career ambitions?
My short-term goals include traveling for research and pursuing my curiosity towards materials, hands-on making, and resource extraction. Topics I find compelling at the moment include climate resiliency, data inequity, and food justice at the local scale in both public and private urban work.