Tommy is a multi-disciplinary HMoob designer, teacher, and founder of locating.matter studio. Tommy’s design research and teaching focus on bridging the disciplines of architecture, ecology and the humanities through storytelling and ethnography. His works unpack how ordinary stories and rituals cascade into architectural and urban changes using methods in fieldwork, oral/public history, material landscapes, vernacular wisdom and construction, in addition to visual narratives.

He is currently a Special Faculty at Carnegie Mellon University in the School of Architecture. Prior to his appointment at CMU, he taught at Parsons School of Design at The New School.

Tommy’s research and community empowered projects have received multiple recognitions and support including the PJ Dick Innovation Fund Faculty Grants Program, National Endowment of the Humanities, Wisconsin Historical Society, Urban Systems Lab at The New School and Urban Field Station Arts. These works have included embedded research on Hmong refugees re-making their homes in Wisconsin, Thai villagers maintaining their worlds within the rapidly urbanizing city of Chiang Mai, Thailand, and the morphogenetic growth of immigrant communities in New York. His design research has been published in dense, Nature-Based Solutions for Cities, The Nature of Cities and exhibited internationally, including in Wisconsin, New York, Chiang Mai University and Chiang Mai City Heritage Centre.

Tommy received his professional Master of Architecture degree with distinction from Parsons School of Design at The New School and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. 

Portfolio and Curriculum vitae are available upon request.

Updates

Judged by the faculty of each school, the medal is presented to the graduating student who has shown an ability for leadership, performed willing service for his or her school or department, and gives promise of real professional merit through his or her attitude and personality.

As a student design researcher, I in collaboration designers designers, activists, and other students planned and implemented a day-long discussion about the closing of Rikers Island. How do we re-imagine Justice in today’s environment? How do we begin to talk about the long and corrupted justice system in the United States? How do we move forward?

The Urban Edge Award is an advanced Research & Design Seminar that will bring together Students, internationally recognized Design Professionals and Local Stakeholders to develop fresh, innovative and effective design proposals at multiple scales that blur the boundaries of Art, Architecture, Landscape and Urbanism

“The McNair Scholars Program is designed to prepare undergraduate students for doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. McNair participants are either first-generation college students with financial need, or members of a group that is traditionally underrepresented in graduate education and have demonstrated strong academic potential. The goal of the McNair Scholars Program is to increase graduate degree awards for students from underrepresented segments of society.

Finding “Home”: Formulating Creative Civic Engagement in Community Health : Website

  • Student Presenter at National Conference of Undergraduate Research Presentation. University of North Carolina Asheville 04/2016

  • Student Presenter at American Multicultural Student Leadership Conference Presentation. University of Wisconsin Milwaukee 04/2016

  • Recipient of SUPPORT FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWS (SURF), Hmong Cultural Landscapes and Community Engaged Research. 2015-2017 • Mentor: Arijit Sen



© 2020 TOMMY YANG. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.