M.Arch. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); B.S in Human Environment and Design, Yonsei University
Sungwoo Jang (he/him/his) joins the School of Architecture as a tenure-track assistant professor. Sung is a principal of commonmatters, a research-based architectural practice that integrates bioclimatics and thermodynamics into novel spatial constructs where building energetic behavior is designed, rather than conditioned. His interdisciplinary research and teaching pedagogy uniquely merge technical culture with spatial practice, where climatic and energetic principles emerge as innovative design opportunities while promoting a less carbon-intensive living.
Through a comprehensive investigation of spatial arrangement, material composition, and their relationship to the cyclic behavior patterns of climate and occupants, Sung has been developing structural modes of thermoregulation that maximize climatic potential while producing unique architectural experiences tailored to specific climates. He merges advanced building analysis software and innovative simulation technology that accounts for extended thermal and time factors to incorporate dynamic thermal behaviors into the design process.
Sung is a licensed architect with over 13 years of professional experience. He also holds a LEED credential, a general contractor’s license, and has passed the HERS energy modeler test and ICA-certified home inspector training. Prior to establishing commonmatters, he has designed and managed a wide range of domestic and international projects, ranging from a small kiosk to multiple award-winning buildings. He has also led the design of various urban projects worldwide, including sustainable community-oriented urban renewal projects in Boston, mixed-use residential developments in China, and a 125-acre corporate campus master plan in Germany. With his design and technical capacity combined with bioclimatic approaches at the core of his research and teaching, his work from commonmatters and his past firms has won several awards, including BSA Design Awards and Progressive Architecture Awards, and has been included in notable design websites such as Divisare and Architect Magazine.
Sung holds a Master of Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Human Environment and Design from Yonsei University. He previously taught an Environmental Systems course at Northeastern University and Design Studios at Boston Architectural College.
