“In the recognition of the existence of love lies the answer to despair. Work is that recognition given voice and name. ” (Audre Lorde, 1980)
Qianer is a feminist killjoy from Shanghai. Her research and practices aim to unmask coloniality and build a community of empowerment.
She is co-founder of Unmasking Space, a student initiative aiming to foreground grassroots voices and critically question the current knowledge production in architectural education. It has resulted in the establishment of a student-led elective course at the Department of Architecture at ETH Zurich.
She is also co-founder of Sekundos - Morphologies of Identities, a student initiative that aims to recognize background identities in public spaces and to upkeep differences in the institution in the form of a musical podcast and live events.
She is an active member of the Parity Group, a fluid group of students, assistants, and professors from the Department of Architecture at ETH Zurich, who meet to discuss issues around gender and race diversity, organizing the yearly Parity Talks in March. The Parity Group has won the Prix Meret Oppenheim in 2023.
She has practiced at Lacaton & Vassal Architectes (Paris 2020), gen Architects (Shanghai 2018), and has been a research/teaching assistant for Prof. Anne Lacaton (2020), Prof. Milica Topalovic (2022-23), and Prof. An Fonteyne (2023) at ETH Zurich. She is now a research assistant for Prof. Teresa Gali-Izard (2022-).
She received Architecture B.Eng at Tsinghua University (Beijing 2018), Architecture BSc at ETH Zurich (2021), and is now pursuing Architecture MSc at ETH Zurich. She has spent one exchange semester at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Autumn 2016) and one exchange semester at Harvard Graduate School of Design (Autumn 2023). She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, English, German, and speaks French.
She loves to collaborate with others and join collective forces. Please write to zhu@arch.ethz.ch for any ideas of collaboration!
teaching
2023-ongoing
2024
2024
Unmasking Space: A Collaborative Platform for and by Students, elective course, the Department of the Ongoing, ETH Zurich [link]
Final review guest, invited by un-studio at EPFL, Lausanne, December.
Final review guest, invited by un-studio at EPFL, Lausanne, December.
research
2024
2023
2023
2023
2022
2022
2022
2023
2023
2023
2022
2022
2022
«Subjectivity as the counter-violence», reflection on Frantz Fanon's writings on violence and his engagement at the Blida-Joinville Psychiatric Hospital, supervisor: Matthew Critchley, ETH Zurich
«Refugee empowerment beyond humanitarianism: Towards a fluid compromise on the temporariness of refugee camps», supervisor: Jacqueline Bhabha, Harvard Kennedy School
«On the question of violence for liberation», reflection on the “impossible” legitimacy of anti-colonial violence, supervisor: Ana María León, Harvard GSD
«Body as an insurgent agency», supervisor: Ana María León, Harvard GSD
The garden of the XXI century, Tiltil, Chile, supervisor: Cara Turett, Teresa Gali-Izard, ETH Zurich (ongoing)
«Some thoughts on how to design», reflection on knowledge production through collaboration with indigenous communities, supervisor: Hollyamber Kennedy, ETH Zurich
«Reinforcing Identities: Architecture Empowerment in Postcolonial Context», focus work writing, supervisor: Bernhard Böhm, Joni Kaçani, Philip Ursprung, ETH Zurich
«Refugee empowerment beyond humanitarianism: Towards a fluid compromise on the temporariness of refugee camps», supervisor: Jacqueline Bhabha, Harvard Kennedy School
«On the question of violence for liberation», reflection on the “impossible” legitimacy of anti-colonial violence, supervisor: Ana María León, Harvard GSD
«Body as an insurgent agency», supervisor: Ana María León, Harvard GSD
The garden of the XXI century, Tiltil, Chile, supervisor: Cara Turett, Teresa Gali-Izard, ETH Zurich (ongoing)
«Some thoughts on how to design», reflection on knowledge production through collaboration with indigenous communities, supervisor: Hollyamber Kennedy, ETH Zurich
«Reinforcing Identities: Architecture Empowerment in Postcolonial Context», focus work writing, supervisor: Bernhard Böhm, Joni Kaçani, Philip Ursprung, ETH Zurich
publications
2025
2023
2023
2023
2022
2022
2023
2023
2023
2022
2022
«A letter to Ma», A Thread 一根毛线 vol.01, Collective Mutian, Changsha, Jan.
«Unmasking Space», co-writing with Unmasking Space members, Hochparterre, Zurich, July. [link]
Collective interview with Parity Group members for the Prix Meret Oppenheim Publication, Zurich/Basel, June.
«On Decolonial Methodologies: A Journey Home», in conversation with Marie Tina Asoh, SEKUNDOS podcast episode, May. [link]
Kontextur Interview: Qianer Zhu, Nov. [link]
«On Being Foreign: Position Oneself in Between», in conversation with Bing Liu, SEKUNDOS podcast episode, Nov. [link]
«Unmasking Space», co-writing with Unmasking Space members, Hochparterre, Zurich, July. [link]
Collective interview with Parity Group members for the Prix Meret Oppenheim Publication, Zurich/Basel, June.
«On Decolonial Methodologies: A Journey Home», in conversation with Marie Tina Asoh, SEKUNDOS podcast episode, May. [link]
Kontextur Interview: Qianer Zhu, Nov. [link]
«On Being Foreign: Position Oneself in Between», in conversation with Bing Liu, SEKUNDOS podcast episode, Nov. [link]
exhibitions
2024
2024
2022
2021
2024
2022
2021
“house of differences”, Master’s thesis, ETH Zurich, December - January
“Insurgent Domesticity”, design project, MIT Keller Gallery, curated by Shift+W, Boston, April
“putumayo”, photo book, off grid photo festival bookshop, Vienna, September
“Biocultural Indigenous University”, design project, Venice Biennale Fench Pavilion, September
“Insurgent Domesticity”, design project, MIT Keller Gallery, curated by Shift+W, Boston, April
“putumayo”, photo book, off grid photo festival bookshop, Vienna, September
“Biocultural Indigenous University”, design project, Venice Biennale Fench Pavilion, September
keynotes, presentations, workshops
2024
2024
2024
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023
2022
2022
2022
2022
2024
2024
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023
2022
2022
2022
2022
Keynote lecture “Empowering Pedagogies: Unpacking Student-led Course with Unmasking Space” at University of Pennsylvania CETLI X ARCHITECTURE workshop series, online, with Giacomo Rossi, Nov.
Keynote lecture for KITTIK at Bern Fachhochschule Architektur, Bern, with Giacomo Rossi, Shriya Chaudhry, May.
Workshop “Dreams from the Front: Listening to Palestine”, with Leila Moon, Parity Talk IX: on inconvenience, ETH Zurich, organized with SEKUNDOS members, March.
Presentation “Spatial Empowerment for Women in the Rohingya Refugee Camp” invited by Datong Society of China Studies, UC Berkeley, online, Dec.
Prix Meret Oppenheim Award collective acceptance speech, with Parity Group members, Basel, June.
Online talk at “Tuesday Night Live”, invited by Architekturtheorie und -wissenschaft TU Darmstadt, with Unmasking Space members, March.
Workshop “From Palestine to Switzerland: A Folk Dance Tale”, with Dabke Lab, Parity Talk VIII: Get Your Act Together, ETH Zurich, organized with SEKUNDOS members, March. [link]
Workshop “Walking: Towards a Guide for Grassroots Activism”, with guests ifa_diaspora (TU Berlin) x Volta Mendrisio (AAM), Parity Talk VIII: Get Your Act Together, ETH Zurich, organized with Unmasking Space x Gender Task Force (TU Graz) x Nazli Tümerdem, March.
Presentation of Unmasking Space pedagogy at Jour Fixe “How we teach”, ETH Zurich, with Shriya Chaudhry, Feb.
Workshop “Collective Napping”, organized with Unmasking Space x On Mental Goodness, ETH Zurich, Dec.
Residency “in:dépendance” at Furka Pass, with Unmasking Space members, August.
Roundtable discussion with grassroots initiatives, moderated by Hollyamber Kennedy, Parity Talk VII: Upkeep, ETH Zurich, March.
Workshop “Musical Picnic – Listening to Identity Morphologies”, Parity Talk VII: Upkeep, ETH Zurich, organized with SEKUNDOS members, March. [link]
Keynote lecture for KITTIK at Bern Fachhochschule Architektur, Bern, with Giacomo Rossi, Shriya Chaudhry, May.
Workshop “Dreams from the Front: Listening to Palestine”, with Leila Moon, Parity Talk IX: on inconvenience, ETH Zurich, organized with SEKUNDOS members, March.
Presentation “Spatial Empowerment for Women in the Rohingya Refugee Camp” invited by Datong Society of China Studies, UC Berkeley, online, Dec.
Prix Meret Oppenheim Award collective acceptance speech, with Parity Group members, Basel, June.
Online talk at “Tuesday Night Live”, invited by Architekturtheorie und -wissenschaft TU Darmstadt, with Unmasking Space members, March.
Workshop “From Palestine to Switzerland: A Folk Dance Tale”, with Dabke Lab, Parity Talk VIII: Get Your Act Together, ETH Zurich, organized with SEKUNDOS members, March. [link]
Workshop “Walking: Towards a Guide for Grassroots Activism”, with guests ifa_diaspora (TU Berlin) x Volta Mendrisio (AAM), Parity Talk VIII: Get Your Act Together, ETH Zurich, organized with Unmasking Space x Gender Task Force (TU Graz) x Nazli Tümerdem, March.
Presentation of Unmasking Space pedagogy at Jour Fixe “How we teach”, ETH Zurich, with Shriya Chaudhry, Feb.
Workshop “Collective Napping”, organized with Unmasking Space x On Mental Goodness, ETH Zurich, Dec.
Residency “in:dépendance” at Furka Pass, with Unmasking Space members, August.
Roundtable discussion with grassroots initiatives, moderated by Hollyamber Kennedy, Parity Talk VII: Upkeep, ETH Zurich, March.
Workshop “Musical Picnic – Listening to Identity Morphologies”, Parity Talk VII: Upkeep, ETH Zurich, organized with SEKUNDOS members, March. [link]
achievements
2025
2022
2021
2019
2018
2015-2017
2017
2017
2016
2022
2021
2019
2018
2015-2017
2017
2017
2016
Parity Group Award, with SEKUNDOS collective, ETH Zurich
3rd Prize of Social Architecture: Open Political Spaces Competition, Seoul
Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Award (ESOP), full scholarship for Master’s study, ETH Zurich
Finalists of Inspireli Awards 2019, Czech Republic
Excellent Graduates, Tsinghua University
Scholarship for Academic Achievement, Tsinghua University
1st Prize of Anji National Bamboo Design Competition, Zhejiang
1st Prize of Beijing Construction Competition, Beijing
Baden-Württemberg Stipendium, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
3rd Prize of Social Architecture: Open Political Spaces Competition, Seoul
Excellence Scholarship & Opportunity Award (ESOP), full scholarship for Master’s study, ETH Zurich
Finalists of Inspireli Awards 2019, Czech Republic
Excellent Graduates, Tsinghua University
Scholarship for Academic Achievement, Tsinghua University
1st Prize of Anji National Bamboo Design Competition, Zhejiang
1st Prize of Beijing Construction Competition, Beijing
Baden-Württemberg Stipendium, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology