Cindy Jian is a young designer and artist. She received her BFA in Environmental Design from MICA, where she participated in several community-based design projects. She has traveled extensively, and is interested in the ethnography of our constructed environments. Born in Guangzhou and growing up in Vancouver and San Francisco, she is keen to the development and defining characteristics of cities.
Most recently, her work has been inspired by the social history of Baltimore. Her undergrad thesis involved planning and prototyping through design thinking and community engagement. To actualize her project, she applied for and received a grant from Baltimore’s Office of Promotion and Arts and hosted a multifaceted event involving the diverse communities around historic Eutaw Place Park. She believes in a bottom-up, human-centered approach to urban planning. Her current endeavor is investigating constructed divisions in urban spaces, and how design interventions can be catalysts for more inclusive, connected cities.