Bio-spatial Tectonics
Beckett, R., Whiteside, C., & Wei, H. (2025). Bio-spatial Tectonics. In Crawford, A., & Dessi-Olive, J. (Eds.), Design Mycelium: Exploring the Design Potential of Fungi. Routledge. [forthcoming]
CV
PhD Candidate at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL — thesis submission expected May 2027. My research develops probiotic architecture: a design approach that treats the indoor microbiome as a material to be cultivated rather than sanitised. Computational design, robotic clay printing, and environmental sensing are integrated in my research to produce probiotic ceramic surfaces — most recently the Living Assembly Pavilion at the London Design Biennale 2025 (Special Mention).
Research Interests
Probiotic design · Bio-receptive design · Digital design and fabrication · Environmental sensing · Indoor microbiome and human health · Additive manufacturing · Machine learning for architectural design
Education
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Architectural Design, the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (UCL), London, UK (Sep 2023 – May 2027 Expected)
- Thesis: Probiotic Modelling — Developing Computational Design Interventions for the Indoor Microbiome
- Supervisors: Prof. Marjan Colletti, Dr. Sean Nair
- Funded by UCL EPSRC DTP Research Studentship
- Interdisciplinary research in collaboration with microbiologists at Eastman Dental Institute, UCL
- Master in Architectural Design (M.Arch), B-Pro, the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, London, UK (Sep 2021 – Sep 2022), with Distinction
- Awarded Silver Medal in B-Pro Show 2022
- Design project Bio-Healer.ai explores nature-based strategies that embed non-human biodiversity into buildings through computational design and machine learning
- Bachelor in Architecture (B.Arch), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China (Sep 2016 – Jun 2021), with Distinction
Research Experience
- Visiting Researcher — GREENIN Mini-Fellowship, Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), University of Surrey (Apr – Jul 2026)
- Host: Prof. Prashant Kumar
- Developing a mobile microclimate mapping system that combines UWB-based spatial positioning with SHT45 environmental sensing to characterise indoor air quality fields at architectural scale.
- Doctoral Researcher, Becket Lab, the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL (Sep 2023 – Present)
- PIs: Dr. Richard Beckett, Dr. Sean Nair
- Embedded in the EPSRC-funded project Developing Probiotic Interventions to Reduce the Emergence and Persistence of Pathogens in Built Environments (ENG-EPSRC EFRI ELiS), in collaboration with Prof. Jack Gilbert’s team at UCSD.
- Working at the intersection of architecture and microbiology to develop living materials and architectural interventions that reduce Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDROs) in indoor environments through beneficial Bacillus-based surfaces.
- Integrates CFD simulation, robotic clay 3D printing, and microbiological material design for indoor microbiome modulation.
- Flagship project Living Assembly Pavilion: Probiotic Intervention — London Design Biennale 2025 (Special Mention).
- Developed a dual-nozzle robotic clay extrusion system at UCL Here East for bio-paste ceramic printing.
Scholarships & Awards
- EPSRC GREENIN Mini-Fellowship Award (2026) — GREENIN Micro Network Plus, hosted by GCARE, University of Surrey
- UCL EPSRC DTP Research Studentship (2023) — funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), UKRI
- UCL ISAD Tuition Fee Support Award (2023) — UCL International Scholars Award for Doctoral Training
- Silver Medal, Bartlett Prospect (B-Pro) Show (2022) — for master’s project Bio-Healer.ai
Publications
Environmental-driven Making: Clay 3D Printing Instructed by Airflow Data
Wei, H., Colletti, M., & Beckett R. (2025). Environmental-driven Making: Clay 3D Printing Instructed by Airflow Data. CAADFUTURES 2025. https://doi.org/10.25442/hku.29350490.v1
Probiotic Design Interventions for The Indoor Microbiome
Wei, H., Scott, W., Hoenerloh, A., Leyton Dominguez, A., Nair, S., & Beckett, R. (2025). Probiotic Design Interventions for The Indoor Microbiome. Cambridge Open Engage. doi:10.33774/coe-2025-pzt7t-v2 This content is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed.
Programming bilayer structures in 4D-printed hygromorphs by tailoring porosity in macroscale
Liu, Y., Wei, H., Colletti, M., & Grigoriadis, K. (2025). Programming bilayer structures in 4D-printed hygromorphs by tailoring porosity in macroscale. Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA).
Environmental-driven Massing Based on Machine learning
Wei, H., Adilenido, Y., & Beckett R. (2022). Environmental-driven Massing Based on Machine learning. Design Computation Input/Output 2022. https://doi.org/10.47330/dcio.2022.eqad1156
Under Review / In Preparation
- Wei, H., Colletti, M., & Beckett, R. Probiotic intervention: A CFD-to-ceramic fabrication pipeline for beneficial microbes on architectural surfaces. International Journal of Architectural Computing. [under review]
- Wei, H., Colletti, M., & Beckett, R. The Immaterial Interface: The Built Environment Microbiome as Architectural Field. The Journal of Architecture. [under review]
Talks
AD Biodesign in Architecture (Vol. 96.1) — Launch Panel
Panel at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, London, UK
Probiotic Modelling: Developing a Computational Design Approach for the Indoor Microbiome
Talk at School of Design, SUSTech, Shenzhen, China
Probiotic Modelling: Developing Computational Design Intervention for the Indoor Microbiome
Talk at Bartlett Research Conversation, London, UK
Probiotic Intervention — Probiotic Cities Symposium
Talk at Probiotic Cities Symposium, University College London, London, UK
Environmental-Driven Making: Clay 3D Printing Instructed by Airflow Data
Conference proceedings talk at CAADFutures 2025 Conference, Hong Kong University, Hong Kong, China
Teaching
Exhibitions
- Living Assembly Pavilion: Probiotic Intervention. London Design Biennale 2025 — Special Mention (2025)
- Exhibition of Instructed Projects. Autumn Show, the Bartlett School of Architecture (2024 & 2025)
- Probiotic Interventions. Pioneering Biomaterials Digital Exhibition, California College of the Arts. With Aileen Hoenerloh, Arely Leyton Dominguez, William Scott, Sean Nair & Richard Beckett (2024)
- Probiotic Soil Tiles. Small Space in the City: Rethinking Inside the Box, Roca London Gallery. With Richard Beckett & Aileen Hoenerloh (2023)
- Bio-Healer.ai. B-Pro Show 2022, master’s degree design research exhibition, the Bartlett School of Architecture — Silver Medal, M.Arch Architectural Design (2022)
- MUGO Lab Model. Sustainable Conference for Timber Building Construction, Zhejiang University (2021)
Academic Service
- Co-organiser, Probiotic Cities Symposium 2026, University College London (September 2026)
- Session Chair, Bartlett PhD Conference, Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, UCL (May 2026)
- Peer Reviewer, Biodesign Conference (2026)
Technical Skills
- Computational Design: Houdini VFX, Grasshopper, Rhino, Python, CFD
- Robotic Fabrication: KUKA & ABB, WASP clay extrusion (LDM)
- Electronics & Sensing: ESP32, Arduino, BME280 / SHT45 environmental sensors, DWM1001 UWB positioning, DM542 stepper control
- Machine Learning: Generative models (GANs, diffusion) for architectural design, Gaussian Splatting
Languages
- Chinese: Native
- English: Full professional proficiency (speaking, reading, writing, listening)