Jack Wu
“Each project has the potential to be creative but practical. The challenge is to respect its context, history, and culture while establishing spaces that are comfortable, memorable, and durable. Mixed-use spaces must inherently incorporate visions and needs from different disciplines, while public spaces can play a key role in promoting a more healthy and sustainable lifestyle.”
Jack Wu creates imaginative urban settings – parks, streetscapes, plazas — that are at once responsive to the surrounding built environment and distinct places unto themselves. A native of Shanghai now working in SWA’s studio there, Jack spent most of his 11 years at the firm working from the Sausalito studio, where he played important roles on many award-winning projects.
His experience includes large-scale urban open space, such as the Ningbo New Town Eco-Corridor, to more human-scaled spaces such as Beijing Finance Street and the Suzhou Science, Culture and Art Center. Trained as a landscape architect and an urban planner and designer, Jack enjoys exploring new design approaches and material palettes.
INSPIRED BY
Guanzhong Wu, a Chinese painter who represents Oriental culture in a contemporary way.
EDUCATION
Master of Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, University of Pennsylvania
Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
AFFILIATIONS & REGISTRATIONS
Registered Landscape Architect, California
LEED AP
SELECTED AWARDS
ASLA NCC, Honor Award for Parks, Recreation, Trails & Open Space, Ningbo East New Town Eco-Corridor Phase I (2015)
JILA (Japan Institute of Landscape Architecture) Biennale Landscape Architecture Design Commendation, Akasaka K-Tower (2014)
ASLA Honor Award – Analysis and Planning, Ningbo East New Town Eco- Corridor (2013)
ASLA Southern California Chapter Quality of Life Award, Gubei Gold Street (2012)
ASLA Northern California Merit Award, Beijing Finance Street (2011)