As the new academic year begins, the Weitzman School of Design is pleased to welcome the latest cohort of students to our PhD/MS in Architecture programs. Coming from diverse backgrounds, these students bring a range of interests and expertise that will enrich our academic community. Please join us in welcoming Clarisse Figueiredo de Queiroz, Marco Salazar Valle, Zhan Shi, and Meryem Kibarogluas they embark on this exciting journey with us.
Clarisse F. de Queiroz is a Ph.D. student and Presidential Fellow in the History and Theory of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, which she joined in Fall 2024. Her work involves uncovering overlooked histories from institutional archives and examining the role of architecture in shaping landscapes of extraction, particularly in the Northeast and North regions of Brazil. She conducts interdisciplinary research to explore ways of interpreting and shaping spatial economies in the Global South from the mid-20th century to the present day. Her interests extend to discovering new aspects of sensitivity through spatial production and engaging with the expanded field of architecture, including Latin American studies, economic and labor theories, and decolonial approaches to art and aesthetics.
Marco Salazar Valle is a student in the PhD. in Architecture - History and Theory program at the Weitzman School of Design, which he joined in Fall 2024. He is interested in hitherto marginalized architectural praxis, objects, and discourses, mainly related to the political and technical logics of land subdivision in the Andean region, alongside histories of colonization and decolonization. Marco has taught architectural courses at several universities in Quito, Ecuador, while also developing projects ranging from private houses to communitarian infrastructure. He is co-founder of Fondo Documental de Arquitectura, a media preservation project at Universidad Central del Ecuador.
Zhan specializes in interactive building enclosures, focusing on integrating advanced technology into architectural design. She joined the PhD Architecture program in Fall 2024. Her research aims to develop responsive and sustainable solutions for the built environment by combining sensors with façade components to create dynamic and adaptable building skins. These researches seek to improve energy efficiency, user comfort, and environmental impact. Zhan is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Master of Environmental Building Design (MEBD) program, Class of 2020, and earned her Bachelor of Architecture degree from Hunan University.
Meryem is a student in the Master of Science in Architecture research program, which she joined in Fall 2024. She received her Master’s degree in architecture from Temple University in May 2021. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design from Bilkent University in June 2018. She had developed an early interest in Architecture before her formal education growing up in a family of constructors and engineers. She started her professional career at Kelly Maiello Architects. Her professional curiosity on how we build our physical space around us and how design affects people and their daily lives makes her strive for excellence in overcoming design challenges in her projects.
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