Work
About
Hyperlocal, co-founded in 2019 by Zhicheng Xu and Mengqi Moon He, is a collaborative studio of architects, landscape architects, planners, and educators committed to reimagining the built environment in response to ecological and social urgencies. Framed through the lens of material ecology and cultural sensibility, our work investigates material cycles, site-specific spatial narratives, and practices of collective stewardship—bridging design with climate resilience.
Zhicheng Xu is a co-founder of Hyperlocal and a designer and educator working across architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design. His interdisciplinary expertise spans ecological design, material systems, and the cultural dimensions of the built environment. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Virginia. Previously, he taught undergraduate and graduate design studios and research seminars at the Rice University School of Architecture and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Zhicheng’s work investigates the role of architecture within broader ecological and cultural contexts, with a particular focus on material ecology and our relationships to land and non-human species. His work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Venice Architecture Biennale, Lisbon Architecture Triennale, RMIT Design Hub, Latrobe Regional Gallery, and the Center for Architecture in New York. He has been recognized with awards from the Urban Land Institute, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the Landscape Architecture Foundation, ASLA-Indiana, and ASLA-Boston.
Prior to founding Hyperlocal, Zhicheng practiced with Kennedy & Violich Architecture and Sasaki Associates in Boston, and Ecosistema Urbano in Madrid. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from MIT and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Purdue University.
Mengqi Moon He is the co-founder of Hyperlocal, an architectural designer, and a licensed city planner in the United States. Born and raised in Guangzhou, China, Mengqi has long focused on critically analyzing the development trajectories and cultural foundations of cities, shaped by her upbringing in a rapidly evolving urban environment. She earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California and a Master of Science in Architecture from MIT.
Mengqi’s work centers on public engagement and design in large-scale public projects. She has extensive experience representing government agencies in engaging with local communities, facilitating public outreach, and leading urban development and community rebuilding efforts.
Before professional practice, Mengqi held academic positions at MIT. She co-initiated the Urban Innovation Program, guiding graduate students through academic exchanges in Shanghai and Chengdu, while also conducting joint courses in Chengdu and Hong Kong. At Hyperlocal, Mengqi draws on her deep understanding of culture, urban development, and community building to collaborate on projects that foster meaningful connections between nature and society.
Kevin Mastro
Wuyahuang Li
Tristan Durham
Nathan Ehrlich
Calvin Zhong
Joshua Chiang
Jeremy Thorn
Chris Humphrey
Chris Gao
Fenghua Lin
Lehan Zhang