By: Yasser Abdelshafy

In the space between code and emotion, creative technologist and multidisciplinary designer Tianxu Zhou crafts experiences that transform abstract feelings into sensory realities. Her work, which spans XR, AI-driven enterprise software, and interactive installations, consistently seeks to build bridges—between people and places, the digital and the physical, and the unseen emotions that connect us all.

Zhou’s practice is perhaps best exemplified by her most recent work, Hometown Sun, an interactive light installation that was exhibited at Illumination NYC and later at DouDou Gallery. Developed in collaboration with Atchareeya Jattuporn, the installation visualizes the simultaneous positions of the sun and moon in both New York City and a location of the viewer’s choice. Audiences use a web application to input their home country, and the installation’s light shifts to reflect the celestial cycles of both places, creating a shared horizon of light. The project’s inspiration is deeply personal, born from the two creators’ shared experience of missing sunrises with family due to a 12-hour time difference.

A Philosophy of Connection

This desire to bridge emotional gaps is the cornerstone of Zhou’s design philosophy. She pursues projects that “invite participation, spark reflection, and foster empathy”. In her view, technology can be a powerful vessel for connection. With Hometown Sun, light is not merely illumination but a “metaphor for warmth, continuity, and human connection,” turning feelings of longing into a communal experience. This artistic journey began in Wuxi, China, where childhood legends of the Yangtze Goddess told by her grandmother sparked her imagination.

Zhou’s artistic journey began in Wuxi, China, where she was drawn to art and storytelling from childhood. Her academic training in design and engineering provided a foundation for combining artistic sensibility with systems thinking. However, it was her move to New York for her master’s at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) that crystallized her focus. There, she found a collaborative environment where, in her words, “code could be a canvas and interaction could be a narrative.” Living abroad as an international student in New York intensified her focus on transforming gaps into opportunities for connection and shared experience.

A Diverse Portfolio Traversing Medium Boundaries

While still a student at NYU, Zhou possessed the technical and design acumen to be entrusted with redesigning her program’s website, a project that remains live today. Her expertise in combining art and coding was later applied to Chloe Ward’s Tinker VR, an interactive theater experience exploring the struggle of a loved one with Alzheimer’s. The project, premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, utilized hand-motion tracking developed by Zhou to immerse the audience in a deeply transformative narrative about memory loss.

Zhou has utilized her skillset to transform the business world, bringing digital innovation to business training, partnerships, and connection. In 2022 she was the lead creative developer for Baidu Metaverse conference experience. Her metaverse allowed 100,000 participants to take virtual journeys around the venue. More recently, she has been applying her skills to workplace learning and development: building simulations that teach essential human and business skills and contribute to a healthy corporate culture.

From institutional web design to immersive festival premieres, Zhou’s practice is defined by its fluidity between technical engineering and human-centered design. Her work is not limited by medium—spanning traditional screen-based interfaces, immersive XR experiences, physical installations, and AI-driven applications. This dual pursuit of creating systems that are both technologically innovative and emotionally resonant has earned her recognition, including a 2021 New York City Artist Corps grant for her work on Hometown Sun. 

By transforming personal stories into participatory art, Tianxu Zhou continues to design a more empathetic and connected world.