Jiahui (Julia) Wei

Animal Skyscraper

I grew up in Shenzhen, a big city in China. I love my hometown because there are a lot of parks around my home. When I was small, I heard from my mother about Shenzhen having the best ecological services in China. Growing up in an environment that cares about sustainability, I became interested in environmental science. My concern with nature and my obsession with the parks pushed me to do this creative exercise. The parks are places where I can take a breath. At the same time, wildlife in the city also needs a place to breathe.

The animal tower project starts with the essential question: “How can I make a conceptual art piece that addresses an environmental issue?” This sculpture project focuses on urban wildlife that has to adapt to rapid urbanization. I believe that since humans can use bionics (taking inspiration from the physiological, behavioral, and structural adaptation of living organisms) to build our buildings, animals can also use human creations to better live in cities. This project is a model of an art installation that mainly functions to remind people of the environmental problem. I researched the animals that have been impacted by human activities, and then I designed some structures that they can utilize in the city.

View the video of Julia’s process.