
EMERGENT
(adjective) emer•gent | i-ˈmÉ™r-jÉ™nt
+ arising as an effect of complex causes, as a sum of their parts
+ in the process of coming into being, becoming newly formed or
prominent
+ calling for immediate action, requiring urgent action
EMERGENT is a design & research studio working at architecture's intersection with urbanism, landscape, and infrastructure. Fascinated with how emergent patterns, paradigms, and phenomena impact our constructed environments in an era of rapid urbanization, we investigate these spatial conditions by engaging in interdisciplinary work that cuts across multiple scales and forms of representation that are able to speak to a diverse set of audiences & stakeholders.
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Based in New York but operating sensitively in multi-regional contexts around the globe, we believe that it is imperative to carefully ask the right questions before providing solutions. Accordingly, each of our catalogued investigations seeks to examine emerging questions facing our rapidly evolving built environments—believing that design holds vast potential for critiquing and intervening in the cultural, social, ecological, environmental, and infrastructural issues facing our contemporary cities and their landscapes. Armed with both design and the research that frames it, our investigations act as a cog in addressing solutions to these emerging questions.
Our versatile work ranges from design proposals & competitions, to cartographic research mappings & curated exhibitions, to authored books & architectural graphic novels aimed at impacting a wide audience. Collectively, they act as a toolkit of ideas for tackling emergent questions in a rapidly urbanizing world.
Director, Founding Principal
Evan is an architect, urbanist, researcher and educator who is the director of Emergent Studio. He founded the studio following a decade of professional working experience in the architecture & urban design fields, in both the private & public sectors.
In addition to directing Emergent, Evan was recently appointed to the full-time faculty at New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) where he teaches as an Assistant Professor of Architecture. Throughout his career, he has...
JULY 2025
+ Evan Shieh co-organizes and co-leads the international
workshop "Smart Cities & Generative A.I." with Korea University and Parsons School of Design, held at the Division of Smart Cities campus in Sejong City, South Korea
+ Evan Shieh lectures at the organization Lectures on Tap,
hosted by NeueHouse NYC
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JUNE 2025
+ Evan Shieh lectures at the American Institute of Architects
(AIA), hosted by the Sub-Zero, Wolf, & Cove Showroom
+ Evan Shieh lectures at TYLin Engineering Group
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MAY 2025
+ Evan Shieh co-lectures and co-leads a topical workshop
session at the United Nations HQ for the 10th Annual Science, Technology, & Innovation (STI) Forum as part of the symposium "Future of Cities", organized by NYIT in collaboration with the Consulate General of Denmark NY
+ Evan Shieh attends final reviews as an external guest critic
at Rhode Island School of Design and Parsons School of Design
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Have a design or research project in mind? Looking to collaborate on a joint venture together? Interested in joining our studio?
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