Hu Yan is a co-founder of the Beijing-based Drawing Architecture Studio (DAS), which specializes in architectural drawing, architectural design and urban studies.
Established in 2013, DAS explores the possibilities of drawing, space and urban studies in a unique way. They use engineering drawing software as a tool and derive inspiration from architecture, art, popular culture, and daily life to create magnificent and complex images for urban landscape. At the same time, they consider infinite vector images as building materials, explore the multiple paths to bringing virtual images back to the material world, and break the boundary between image and space. DAS understands urban studies as an experience and narrative with open forms, and conducts experiments through various media such as architectural models, art installations, comics, and books.
DAS have been exhibited widely in China and abroad, including at the 4th Chicago Architecture Biennial, the Chinese and Japan pavilions of the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale, the 7th and 9th Shenzhen/Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture, and many others. Their works have been acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the White Rabbit Gallery in Sydney, the Macao Museum of Art in China, Pingshan Art Museum in Shenzhen, and Wind H Art Center in Beijing for their collections. DAS’ publications include A Little Bit of Beijing, A Little Bit of Beijing · Dashilar, The Joy of Architectural Drawing, Hutong Mushroom and Apartment Blossom.
Yan received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.