Na WEI RA, LEED AP 
Associate Professor
School of Architecture | Tianjin University
nawei@weiarchitects.com
Na WEI is an Associate Professor at Tianjin University, a visiting faculty member at University of Pennsylvania and the Founding Principal of WEI architects (aka. Elevation Workshop).
Na WEI received her MArch. degree from Yale School of Architecture and BArch. degree from Tsinghua University.
Originally founded in New York, WEI architects established its Beijing office in 2009. As one of the most innovative and leading architecture firms in China, WEI architects has worked on projects of various scales. Positioned at the crossroads of art and architecture, WEI’s projects were featured in numerous publications around the globe. In 2020, WEI’s project was featured as a representative of Chinese Architecture in the book Beyond the West published by Gestalten.
The idea of the genius loci is very particular in Na WEI’s work. She professes a keen interest in developing a sympathetic, place-based architecture. With her exquisite perception, WEI’s thoughtful designs blend art, architecture and interior. Standing for Emotive Architecture, WEI derives concepts from emotions in order to create an atmosphere-driven synergy that highlights the interaction between people and the built environment.
Na WEI was selected by Architecture Review and featured in the book New Chinese Architecture: Twenty Woman Building the Future published by Thames & Hudson in 2019. In 2016, People's Daily featured her as "one of the most influential female architects in Beijing."
Beside her distinguished professional practice, Na WEI is active in academics. Before she joined Tianjin University as an Associate Professor, she has been teaching and lecturing in many universities, including University of Pennsylvania, Tsinghua University, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Yale, Syracuse and University of Cincinnati. She has also developed her online design courses called “Emotive Design” series since 2017. Na WEI is also teaching MSD Advanced Architecture Design program at University of Pennsylvania as a visiting faculty member.
Na WEI is the author of Suffused Space published by China Architecture & Building Press in 2019. This book reflects WEI’s design practice, academic methodology and theoretical research in the field of architecture internationally for the past more than ten years. Yansong MA, founding partner of MAD wrote the Foreword for this book.
