For Pu “Melody” Zhao, landscape architecture is more than the design of space — it is the art of empathy. Her philosophy intertwines art, memory, and social consciousness, transforming landscapes into emotional experiences that speak to belonging, care, and human connection.
Through her work, Zhao explores how design can serve those who have often been overlooked — minority communities, underrepresented groups, and individuals navigating trauma or displacement. Her landscapes do not simply beautify; they listen, remember, and heal.
From the Mountains to Meaning
Zhao’s connection to landscape began in her childhood, growing up among the mountains and open fields of northern China. Surrounded by nature’s quiet generosity, she discovered early on that the land could hold space for everyone — a place for play, imagination, and healing.
She later pursued a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Virginia Tech and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. These experiences shaped both her technical foundation and her belief that design carries social responsibility — that it can restore dignity, empower communities, and speak across cultural boundaries.
Having once struggled with communication difficulties, Zhao developed a deep empathy for those who feel unseen or unheard. This personal journey strengthened her conviction that design must first listen — to stories, to memory, and to emotion — before it can create.
“Landscape is where memory takes root — a space where beauty becomes an act of empathy, and design becomes a bridge between past and healing,” Zhao reflects. This belief continues to guide her practice, turning each project into an opportunity to honor history and foster connection.
Building Craft, Shaping Purpose
Zhao’s diverse professional experience across several leading firms in North America has deeply influenced her approach to design. Working on a wide range of projects — from institutional landscapes and public spaces to residential gardens — she developed a refined understanding of construction processes, design workflow, and material sensitivity. These experiences strengthened her ability to translate conceptual ideas into built environments that are both practical and poetic.
Through this hands-on work, Zhao’s design philosophy matured. She came to believe that design should not only organize space but also hold emotion. Real-world practice taught her how people move through, inhabit, and find meaning in landscapes — and how thoughtful design can respond to their social and emotional needs. This blend of technical precision and human empathy continues to define her work.
Designing for Inclusion and Justice
Many of Zhao’s projects focus on communities that have faced historical or social marginalization. Belinda’s Petition, honored by the London Design and French Design Awards, commemorates the story of Belinda Sutton — an enslaved woman who petitioned for her freedom in the eighteenth century. Through spatial storytelling, Zhao transformed the site into a landscape of remembrance and resilience, amplifying voices once silenced by history.
In Habitat Tectonics: Participatory Eco-Living — awarded the NY Architectural Design and Muse Design Awards — Zhao envisions housing for low-income residents in Los Angeles as a living system shaped by collaboration among people, community, and land. The project reflects her belief that social equity can begin with design that empowers daily life and fosters collective belonging.
Her project, Brainwave Symphony, extends that philosophy into trauma-informed design. Created for Parrot Creek’s 80-acre campus serving youth in recovery, it introduces two complementary trails — one calm and reflective, the other active and structured — to support emotional regulation, agency, and connection with nature.
Across all these works, Zhao’s landscapes become places of care — spaces where history, healing, and humanity intersect.
A Philosophy of Empathy and Care
At the heart of Zhao’s philosophy is the belief that meaningful design begins with empathy. She views landscape not as something to control, but as something to nurture — a living medium through which emotion and connection take shape.
Her process begins with listening: to the land, to its history, and to the people who inhabit it. By understanding the emotions and identities embedded in every site, Zhao creates spaces that invite reflection and connection. Whether a memorial, a community park, or a tranquil garden, her designs aim to comfort, restore, and connect — turning beauty into a vessel for empathy and understanding.
Zhao believes that the purpose of design is not only to serve function but to evoke feeling — to remind people that they belong to both the land and to one another.
Continuing the Journey
For Zhao, design remains a lifelong act of listening. Each project, no matter its scale, becomes an opportunity to care for people, for the land, and for the stories that live between them. What fulfils her most is not recognition, but the quiet moment when someone feels peace or connection within a space she has helped shape.
In an increasingly fragmented world, Zhao continues to explore how landscape can help people reconnect — with memory, with emotion, and with each other. Through each line drawn and space imagined, she strives to design landscapes that heal softly, speak quietly, and remind us that empathy itself is a form of beauty.
About Pu “Melody” Zhao
Pu “Melody” Zhao is a landscape designer whose work bridges culture, emotion, and social justice. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Virginia Tech. With professional experience at several renowned design firms across North America, Zhao has contributed to institutional, public, and residential projects that merge technical craft with human-centered vision. Her award-winning works — including Belinda’s Petition and Habitat Tectonics — have received international recognition from the London, French, Muse, and NY Architectural Design Awards for their empathy-driven approach to design and storytelling.
