As Global Design Principal for the international architecture and design firm Aedas, Andy Wen, GAr’90, has firsthand experience in the transformation of China’s landscape over the past 30 years.
Designed to Succeed
A new fellowship spearheaded by Weitzman School alumnus Andy Wen will create formative opportunities for architecture students with global vision
Published: April 22, 2022
While growing his career, he had an internship with C.Y. Lee & Partners, designer of many notable buildings including Taipei 101, the first building to break the half-kilometer mark in height. Wen can trace his passion for international architecture to Penn’s Stuart Weitzman School of Design.
“When I was an undergraduate student at Penn State University, I won a design competition at Penn,” Wen says. “The prize provided a stipend for travel, which I used to visit China for the first time. Without the opportunity to experience possibilities outside of my standard thinking, my career may have gone in a completely different direction.”
Wen is keen on making this kind of opportunity available for today’s students. He was instrumental in a recent gift from Aedas to the Weitzman School, establishing a fellowship for graduate architecture students. A significant component of the fellowship offers recipients a summer internship at the firm’s five offices in the People’s Republic of China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Hong Kong.
Faculty and guest critics offer feedback to first-year Master of Architecture students at a review of designs for a new pavilion. Their designs are documented in the book 57 Pavilions (Applied Research & Design Publishing, 2018). Thanks to the Aedas Fellowship, talented students like these will have the opportunity to supplement their classroom learning with invaluable experience working for the international architecture and design firm.
“Students grow by stepping out of their comfort zones, which is a benefit of travel, as well as having early exposure to the day-to-day work of an architect,” Wen says. “In my internship, I worked directly on real projects and established valuable relationships with established architects. That time influenced my perception of architecture, even today. I hope this fellowship will be just as lifechanging for the recipients.”
More than 25 Weitzman alumni currently work for Aedas, a recognition of the quality of the academic and professional preparation students receive at the School. With China’s status as the world’s largest construction market, Aedas Fellows will have ample opportunities to gain a fundamental understanding of complexities that cannot be gained in a classroom.
Master of Architecture student John Dai presents his work to a jury. Aedas Fellows may be able to enhance their pitch and presentation abilities as they participate in competitions as part of their summer internships.
“As students, it is hard to grasp what it means to pitch ideas and compete for contracts against other firms, as well as how to navigate challenges like government regulations, client expectations, and pragmatic limitations to your creativity,” Wen says. “By working on existing projects and participating in competitions against other notable firms, Aedas Fellows will reap immense benefits and experience, which they will bring back and share with their fellow students.”
Experiential learning and student aid are priorities at the Weitzman School. Partnerships with firms like Aedas create mutually beneficial opportunities, as students gain valuable experience, firms establish pipelines for future prospective employees, and the School welcomes and nurtures the talents of a diverse pool of students.
Fellowships and internships are essential to giving our graduates abundant choices when they enter the professions. We are grateful to Andy Wen and Aedas for their generosity, and we hope that this type of partnership serves as a model for other firms who want to support the next generation of leaders across the design fields.”Fritz Steiner, GRP’77, GFA’86, Gr’86, Dean and Paley Professor at the Weitzman School of Design
Wen, who is a member of the Weitzman School’s Dean’s Council, believes companies have a responsibility to help students as part of their overall efforts to cultivate the next generation of leaders in the design fields.
“Our education impacts us, and we impact design,” Wen says. “Part of that impact means supporting today’s students and helping them find their paths to the profession. We are proud to partner with the Weitzman School to make this unique opportunity possible.”
