PERSONAL PORTFOLIO - FREYA XIAO

I came from a small city in southwest China, and finished my high-school in Vancouver. My interested in Architecture and interior design started when I explored my hometown by myself. Chongqing is a city built on mountains that architecture and transportation are fantastic where housing is stacking in rhythmic shapes and train go crosses the inside of the building on the hill. The city center is the confluence of Yangtze and Jialing rivers, so there are many bridges to connect the different parts of the city. Those bridges are for walking, driving, and light-rail transit. Everyday after school I came home by myself, I was wondering how those interesting architecture were been built, and what was the structure inside.

Before I went to Carleton University’s architecture program, I went to the art school to enhance my hand drawing skill. Photography is another part of my life, even though I only has camera on my phone. I enjoyed take pictures of landscape, architecture, and food. Studying in Carleton changed me a lot. I had not only learnt about design, it also made me interested about city planning, housing problem, history, social science, human right, and all kinds of thing. “Firmness, Commodity, and Delight” are three elements necessary for a well-designed building by Vitruvius Pollio. I believed architecture is also identified by people’s experience. As a designer, I try to create an unforgettable, comfortable, and unique experience for different people who walk in my buildings.