Hi, I’m Jen Chenyu Zhang, an interdisciplinary designer/architect/storyteller. 
I design interactive experiences, using multi-medium platforms,  from a user-centered and empathetic perspective. 



Architectural
architectural, user-driven
architectural, humanitarian
architectural, tectonic
architectural, research
architectural, design
architectural, photomodel
research, analysis
urban design
fabrication

Multi-Media
video storytelling
interactive wearable design35mm
An Architect’s Handbook
The Invisible Cities
Boats In A Floating World
film photography
editorial
editorial
graphic



All visualsare original

unless otherwise indicated
Rome: Extra Large 
Interactive wearable device for experiencing city of Rome
Rhode Island School of Design
Collaborators: Wei Zhang, Kunyue Qi
2017



Background and Design Goal:
This four-week project aimed to emphasize the distinct urban experiences of navigating through Rome’s old town by amplifying a traveller’s physical and psychological senses. We designed and fabricated an expandable wearable device to make the user feel “extra large“ when traveling through Rome’s narrow streets. The final product is presented through a video narrative.

Utilizing Arduino software and hardware, the detection device would signal through LED lights when the user enters a tight space. The initially folded expansion device would slowly expand to enlarge the user’s personal space. The design of the wearable pieces uses paper origami and wooden tracks to achieve the expanding and folding motion.

My role was mainly involved in Arduino coding and physical product fabrication. While the expanded motion of the end product was not perfectly aligned with the design, yet we learned valuable lessons by constantly carrying out usability tests throughout the process.


Image Clips from Final Video 




Design Progress: