2025 Student Awards
The winners of the 2025 WLA Student Award were announced at the Awards Ceremony held as part of the 2025 WLA Shanghai International Forum at Shanghai Jiaotong University on November 8, 2025. This year’s awards received 161 entries from over 30 countries worldwide, with 22 awards across 5 categories.
2025 Student Awards Jury
Panita Karamanea | Assistant Professor of Architectural Space and Landscape Design, School of Architecture NTUAthens, March NTUA, MLA & PhD UTP ETSABarcelona UPC.
Wang Ling | Associate Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, and Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
David D. Pearson | Lecturer, Landscape Architecture Program in School of Architecture, Clemson University.
William Shivers | Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Hong Kong.
2025 Student Awards Winners
Concept – Analysis & Planning
Award of Excellence
From Sediment to Settlement | Yuxi Liu, Lu Chen, Yao Qu – Tsinghua University
Supervisors: Hailong Liu, Xiaoying Zhao – Tsinghua University
Outstanding Awards
In-Between Horizons: Hybrid Ecologies and Third-Space Wisdom in Tongariro | Hanying Long – Nanjing Foresty University; Xianxuan Meng – Tianjin Chengjian University; Hangyu Li – Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University; Yimeng Huang – Shandong Agriculture University; Zheliang Guo – South China University of Technology; Supervisor: Xinwang Sun – Nanjing Forestry
Microclimate and Postcolonial Coffee Cultivation | Xinying Li – Harvard University Graduate School of Design; Qiulu Lin – University of Toronto; Supervisor: Jian Jiao.
Honorable Mention
Symbiosis Landscapes: Ecology Meets Fire | Reza Farhadi – University of Tehran; Maryam Noroozi – University of Tehran; Amir Rahsaz – University of British Columbia; Hengameh Ghasemi – Iran University of Science and Technology; Mahshid Delavar – Iran University of Science and Technology; Supervisors: Dr. Hossein Mansourian, Dr. Keramatollah Ziari – University of Tehran; Dr. Aleksandra Dulic – University of British Columbia
Adaptive Dynamics in Extreme Landscapes: Besós River Valley Case Study; Giuseppina Verduci – Polytechnic University of Catalonia; Supervisors: Pepa Morán, Ioanna Spannou.
Concept – Large Design
Award of Excellence
Unearthing Waters | Pedro Brito – Harvard Graduate School of Design; Supervisor: Rosalea Monacella
Outstanding Awards
Nature’s Sanctuary – Fourth Nature as a Living Landscape in the Ruins of Carmelite Monastery | Katarzyna Jamioł – Cracow University of Technology; Supervisor: Urszula Forczek-Brataniec
Rewinding (Coal)ocene: A Post-Coal Landscape of Reciprocal Repair and Memorial | Hanrui Fu – Harvard University Graduate School of Design; Supervisor: Rosalea Monacella
Honourable Mentions
Reclaimed Edges: Uncovering History, Designing Resilient Futures | Zenith (Zhiming) Zhang – Harvard University Graduate School of Design; Supervisor: Belinda Tato
Choreography of an Island Disappearance | Cheuk Hei To, Hetvee Panchal, Yuk Ching Cheang – University of Virginia; Supervisors: Bradley Cantrell and Leena Cho
Concept – Small Design
Award of Excellence
AirFlow Water Nest Mong Kok Playground Microclimate Revival | Gu Dian – The University of Hong Kong; Supervisor: Jia Zhong
Outstanding Awards
From Ruins to Roots: Healing through Unity, Growing for the Future | Zicheng Zhao & Jiewen Hu – University of Pennsylvania; Supervisors: Lucinda Sanders, Trevor Lee, Demetrios Staurinos
Living Landmarks: A Community-Centered Approach to Ancient Tree Renewal | Jie Wu – Sichuan Fine Arts Institute; Supervisor: Yu Ou.
Honourable Mention
Fred Lebow Memorial | Henry Ley – Cornell University; Supervisor: Jennifer Birkeland
Concept – Graduate Design
Award of Excellence
New Port-Island Connector-Designing a landscape infrastructure frame to connect Voorne-Putten Island and the Port of Rotterdami | Jiaming Huang – Technische Universiteit Delft; Supervisors: Supervisors: Steffen Nijhuis, Marco Lub – Technische Universiteit Delft
Outstanding Awards
Inclusive Hubs Create New Adda Ecosystems | Jisheng Zhang & Xinni Ma – Politecnico di Milano; Supervisors: Gangemi Sara, Mattia Tettoni
Saltpan Reimagined: Rediscovering the Beauty of the Molentargius Decommissioned Saltworks in Cagliari | Bui Thi Nhung & Huang Wenhui – Politecnico di Milano; Supervisor: Chiara Geroldi
Honourable Mention
Beyond the Threshold: Shaping a Park System in Baggio’s Peri-Urban Landscape, Milan, Italy | Abhinand Krishnakumar Menon & Arya Arun – Politecnico Di Milano; Supervisor: Andrea Oldani
Reconfiguring “Wet Ideology” Along the Mun River | Supanut Udomsilaparsup – KU Leuven; Supervisor: Kelly Shannon
University Studio
Award of Excellence
Permafrost Futures City Built on Thawing Ground | University of Virginia – Department of Landscape Architecture and Department of Architecture; Studio Leaders: Leena Cho and Matthew Jull / Arctic Design Group
Outstanding Award
Regenerative Design of Post-Industrial Landscape in Fanshan | Department of Landscape Architecture – School of Architecture – China Academy of Art
Supervisors: Professor Ying Zeng, Professor Tilman Latz, Instructor Xing Xu, Professor Yin Kang;
Honourable Mention
Landscape Engineering and Digital Landscape Course | Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Supervisors: Zhu Liqing Collaborators: Fu Kai & Simon Yue
2025 Student Awards Shortlist
Concept Analysis & Planning
Adaptation Strategies for Border Communities in the Sundarbans Nature Reserve | Yangyang Sun, Tengfei Yu, Zirui Zhan, Shuai Jiang | Beijing Forestry University, Chongqing University, Shanghai University, Peking University
Adaptive Dynamics in Extreme Landscapes Besós River Valley Case Study | Giuseppina Verduci | Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) / ETSAB-MBLandArch
From Coca to Carbon A Community Driven ESG Initiative in VRAEM, Peru | Yuanjie Ning, Shiwei Yang, Wenru Zhao, Zhuoyuan Yu | Beijing University Of Civil Engineering And Architecture, Zhejiang University, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University.
From Sediment to Settlement | Yuxi Liu, Lu Chen, Yao Qu | Tsinghua University, Ph.D. Program in Landscape Architecture
In-Between Horizons: Hybrid Ecologies and Third-Space Wisdom in Tongariro | Hanying Long, Xianxuan Meng, Hangyu Li, Yimeng Huang, Zheliang Guo | Nanjing Foresty University, Tianjin Chengjian University, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Shandong Agriculture University, South China University of Technology.
INTERSCAPE – A Journey from Albino to Nembro in the Seriana Valley, Italy | Giagkoula Vasiliki, Medaglia Alessandra, Zouganelis Spyridon | Politecnico di Milano
Microclimate and Postcolonial Coffee Cultivation | Xinying Li, Qiulu Lin | Harvard University Graduate School of Design, University of Toronto
Rewoven Edge Regenerating Coastal Economies and Ecosystems | Tharindu Naveen | University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Rural Settlement 2.0——Rural Settlement 3.0 | Fanjin Meng, luling Qv, Zhiyi Zhou | Sichuan Fine Art Institute, University of Shanghai
Symbiosis Landscapes: Ecology Meets Fire | Reza Farhadi, Maryam Noroozi, Amir Rahsaz, Hengameh Ghasemi, Mahshid Delavar | University of Tehran, University of British Columbia, Iran University of Science and Technology
Concept Large Landscape Design
Amphibious Edge: Reclaiming Staten Island’s Littoral Futures | Phurit (Poom) Sheeranangsu | University of Pennsylvania
Choreography of an Island Disappearance | Cheuk Hei To, Hetvee Panchal, Yuk Ching Cheang | University of Virginia
Goose Geese Goose | Yiran Wang | The University of Hong Kong
Island School of Ecology | Lara Kurosky, Elizabeth Zenko, Georgia Papworth | University of Toronto
Lines Beneath, Life Above | Xingtong Yang | University of Pennsylvania
Marsh Rhythms | Alex Daley, Alex Fry, Alex Heald, Ruth Shatkay | University of Virginia
Nature’s Sanctuary – Fourth Nature as a Living Landscape in the Ruins of Carmelite Monastery | Katarzyna Jamioł | Cracow University of Technology
Rebirth of Straw | Jingming Qiu | University of California, Berkeley
Reclaimed Edges Uncovering History, Designing Resilient Futures | Zenith (Zhiming) Zhang | Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Rewinding (Coal)ocene: A Post-Coal Landscape of Reciprocal Repair and Memorial | Hanrui Fu | Harvard Graduate School of Design
Spiritually Returning Home | Chengxi Huang, Yuwei Gao, Shiyu Wang, Jingqianhe Tu, Yichen Xian | University Of Waterloo, Shanghai Jiaotong University and Nanjing Forestry University
The Oval Pool | Yuzhuo Wang, Siyi Lu | University of Pennsylvania
Thresholds of the Wild | Rishitha Aishwarya | CEPT University
Trees, Bricks, and Debris: Rebuild Bunker Hill Housing Memory | Xinying Li | Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Unearthing Waters | Pedro Brito | Harvard Graduate School of Design
Wasteland Revival-Regenerated bridge pillars in Chongqing, China | Wu Jinghan, Liu Yanhe | Shanghai Jiaotong University, Tongji University
Concept Small Landscape Design
Air Flow Water Nest Mong Kok Playground Microclimate Revival | Gu Dian | The University of Hong Kong
Fred Lebow Memorial | Henry Ley | Cornell University
From Ruins to Roots: Healing through Unity, Growing for the Future | Zicheng Zhao, Jiewen Hu | University of Pennsylvania, MLA
Landscape Choreographies | Ana Garrido | University College London
Living Landmarks: A Community-Centered Approach to Ancient Tree Renewal | Jie Wu | Sichuan Fine Arts Institute
Native American Memorial | Jenda Simonsen | University of Nebraska Lincoln
Graduate
Beyond the Threshold Shaping a Park System in Baggio’s Peri Urban Landscape, Milan, Italy | Abhinand Krishnakumar Menon, Arya Arun | Politecnico Di Milano
Common Health of Australia: Ecological Recovery And Shared Green Space In Moore Park | Chenyi Wang | University of California, Berkeley
Design in the Territory of Water | Zhuoer (Shannon) Yu | University College London
Future is in the Past Forward Indigenous Knowledge for Holistic Production in Texcoco Basin | Liuyun Wang, Ziyi Fu | Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Inclusive Hubs Create New Adda Ecosystems | Jisheng Zhang, Xinni Ma | Politecnico di Milano
Landscape Arborism | Daniel Meyer | Cornell University
New Port Island Connector – Designing a landscape infrastructure frame to connect Voorne-Putten Island and the Port of Rotterdami | Jiaming Huang | Technische Universiteit Delft
Reconfiguring “Wet Ideology” Along the Mun River | Supanut Udomsilaparsup | KU Leuven
Reforestation as self determination | CHENG Sum Yu Yannie | The University of Hong Kong
Reimagining Therapeutic Landscapes A Hospital Renewal for Cancer Patients’ Mental Resilience | Hua Zhou | The University of Hong Kong
Saltpan Reimagined: Rediscovering the beauty of the Molentargius decommissioned saltworks in Cagliari | Bui Thi Nhung, Huang Wenhui | Politecnico di Milano
Save the Blue Tears, China | Su Juhui, Chen Yibing, Xiangyi Wang | National University of Singapore, Cornell University, The University of Hong Kong
University Studio
Civic Infrastructure And Adaptation | University of Virginia | Studio Supervisor: Michael Luegering, Assistant Professor, University of Virginia
Landscape Engineering and Digital Landscape Course | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | Studio Supervisor: Zhu Liqing
Metropolitan Landscape Architecture Planning and Design | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | Studio Supervisor: Zhu Liqing, Lee Parks
Permafrost Futures | University of Virginia, Department of Landscape Architecture (MLA) and Department of Architecture (MArch and BSArch) | Studio Leaders: Leena Cho and Matthew Jull / Arctic Design Group
Regenerative Design of Post Industrial Landscape in Fanshan | China Academy of Art, Landscape Architecture, Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Architecture | Studio Supervisor: Professor Ying Zeng, Professor Tilman Latz, Instructor Xing Xu, Professor Yin Kang
Urban Waterfronts | Centre for Environment, Planning and Technology (CEPT) University | Studio Supervisor: Priyanka Kanhare, Faculty, CEPT University (Leader-Tutor); and Chandrani Chakrabarti, Faculty, CEPT University (Associated Co-Tutor)