Cooper Union Senior Profiles: Daisy Chen
Who are you? Could you tell me about yourself?
My name is Yunru Chen, people call me Daisy, I am a 5-year Architecture student at The Cooper Union.
When are you graduating?
I am graduating in late May of 2023.
What is your major? And why did you choose your major?
I pursued a major in architecture as a natural progression from my studies in high school. I attended DASH (Design and Architecture Senior High), a design high school in Miami where I was first introduced to the subject and found it fascinating. Pursuing it in college was a logical step for me. The discipline and the critical thinking skills that architecture school has instilled in me are qualities that I value highly.
Who is someone you look up to in your field? Either today or historically?
I look up to my former Dean Nader Tehrani. His works, working ethic, teaching strategy, and critical feedback are something I find efficient, precise, and effective in the field of architecture and education.
Why did you choose Cooper Union?
I applied for early decision, so I didn't have a choice but to accept the offer. However, I initially chose this school because of its architecture program's reputation, location in New York City, and access to a plethora of resources and platforms. Additionally, the school offers a half-tuition scholarship and places value on everyday practice rather than traditional portfolios, as demonstrated through a home test. Furthermore, the school does not emphasize SAT scores.
What is one thing that you learned at Cooper that you didn’t expect?
I didn’t expect to be able to learn by myself–My position as an architecture student and how I view this field. My personal working method, ethic, and attitudes toward who I like to work with and how I like to work within a team.
What inspires you?
I am not sure what exactly inspires me, it’s too much of an artistic or spontaneous question, I don’t particularly form a thesis or project through inspiration but an accumulation of observations, thoughts, unease, and the desire of putting down a position of my own. It comes through the process of researching a particular field of knowledge and sets of questions I ask about the topic and to myself regarding the intentions to precisely deliver the information and the project.
What are you reading, listening to, or watching?
Currently, I am reading books regarding materials and light, and the histories of showrooms. (Light Construction, Construction Matters, Inmaterial/Ultramaterial) watching crime shows, revenge shows, and listening to a song called Venus Flytrap by Feng Suave.
What do you see yourself doing in 5 years?
Ahh, I have no idea, but I wish in 5 years I will be able to know what I want to do with my life. I want to have my own office. Designing, cooking, and living. I want to become stable and strong mentally and physically.
What are you passionate about? And what do you do in your free time to refresh yourself?
I like cloud watching and drawing clouds. That’s what I do to refresh myself. I like food as well, so I like to eat to refresh myself.
Is there a question we should have asked you? And if so, what is it and what is the answer to it?
Questions and answers only emerge after this is submitted. Just like a print, you would never know what else to do until you made the current print.
A few examples of Daisy's work below.
