Lydia Huitong Li

Hometown: China
Education Background: BA(Landscape Study), The University of Hong Kong

How did you get interested in your field?
When I was in primary school, I went out to the park and saw someone sketching the landscape. This moment was the first time I learned the term landscape, and I also wanted to do site drawing. After taking visual art classes in high school, I became interested in design and thought of how two things worked together to help people improve their living environment.

What was your background before coming to Penn?
I did a landscape study program in my undergraduate in Hong Kong. I enjoy studios and would like to try architectural education in North America. 

Why did you choose Penn?
Penn has a vital role in landscape architecture. When I was in theory class, I read books from Ian MacHarg and other monumental pieces that are currently in Penn Archives. I am excited to see these works in person. Also, Weitzman has a wide range of design disciplines that I can greatly benefit from what other programs are doing. We can learn from pin-ups and reviews all over Meyerson Hall.

What do you like best about Philadelphia?
One of my hobbies is museums and exhibitions. Philadelphia is an art center, and I am impressed by the different cultural activities here—orchestra, opera, film festival, exhibits, etc.    Penn Museum is free for Penn staff and students and offers various activities.

What kinds of activities and/or organizations are you involved in?
I am a sports person and active in various sports activities. We hosted Sunday freebies between classmates and joined Weitzman Yoga every Monday. My whole body feels refreshed after each yoga session. Schoolwork is sometimes intense, and I like this moment to slow down.

What are your career ambitions?
I am new to Weitzman, so I would like to explore more about my career during my graduate studies. There are lots of career-related opportunities and workshops on campus. I joined Firm Crawl to SITIO last week, and we visited this lovely firm and got to know their projects. The director also shared some ideas about how to integrate academics into practices.