USC Architecture XpoInstructor: Prof. Wendy W Fok
This project explores the transformation of underutilized school fields in Los Angeles County, with a focus on Downey, into sites for neighborhood sports clubhouses. Yoli drew inspiration from her 2024 USC Jon Adams Jerde Traveling Fellowship, during which she studied the urban planning and programmatic elements of successful European clubhouses. In LA, car-dependent suburban sprawl […]
At USC, nearly 10,000 commuter students, almost a fifth of the university population, navigate campus without access to true third spaces—places to pause, rest, eat, or connect between classes. These students move through what Marc Augé calls “non-places,” suspended in transition, academically integrated but infrastructurally excluded. With over 20 percent of students experiencing food insecurity, […]
Modern mega-stadiums are built at great expense—often with a combination of public and private funds—yet they frequently yield modest economic returns and lie underutilized for much of the year. Within a few decades, many of these high-profile venues become obsolete or abandoned, leaving behind vast, costly structures and communities burdened by debt. This thesis focuses […]
Urban Refuge I Echoes of Empathy explores how architecture can restore a sense of home for external/internal climate refugees through an urban, social, and developmental lens. As global displacement increases due to environmental crises, this project investigates how children—often the most vulnerable—can become leaders in the healing and rebuilding of community. Set in Downtown Los […]
Growing up in East Los Angeles, I’ve seen firsthand how overlooked public spaces can be and how they can impact daily life, especially the bus stops in the area. Most are just a bench or a pole, offering no shelter, comfort, or connection to the neighborhood. This thesis reimagines these overlooked transit points as architectural […]
Often perceived as the epicenter of endless sprawl and car dependency, Los Angeles is now shifting towards a vision centered on improved connectivity. Backed by federal and state investments, along with Angelenos’ positive attitude towards mass transit, the greater Los Angeles area is poised to embrace transit efficiency. The Community Interchange seeks to transform historically […]
Ñan — derived from the Quechua word for “path” — is a speculative satellite-based transportation system that reimagines mobility as a sky-bound network designed to preserve the Earth’s surface. Rooted in the landscapes and values of Ecuador, Ñan proposes a future where transportation infrastructure no longer scars the land but instead floats above it. At […]
‘Buoyant Biomes: Softscape Infrastructure for Living Buffers’ explores how natural wetlands can be simulated and restored through an architectural, ecological, and urban lens. The environment plays a major role in regulating temperatures, supporting ecological health, and in the quality of life of humans, animals, and plants alike. At an urban scale, the aggregation of these […]
Re:Alley explores the transformation of Los Angeles’ overlooked alleyways into dynamic, community-driven spaces. This thesis proposes a modular, flat-pack kit system inspired by traditional Japanese joinery to activate and reimagine these underutilized corridors. Drawing from the principles of craftsmanship, modularity, and tactical urbanism, Re:Alley presents a scalable solution that fosters flexibility, adaptability, and inclusivity in […]
Fire-Resistant Modular ADU is a response to the wildfire-resilient designs that have recently surged in Los Angeles. The California wildfires of 2025 left a devastating impact on the state, and as a result, this design has been created with the damaged structures in mind. These wildfires have been reported to have severely damages over 12,000 […]