Island of charm and challenge

Ma conducts field studies on the island. In addition to the design work, he has to meet officials from Yushan town, communicate with homeowners to understand their needs, coordinate with building material suppliers and liaise with construction teams. Using architecture to aid rural vitalization is not something new to Ma. In 2021, while studying at Tianjin University, he and two schoolmates won first prize in the UIAHYP Cup 2021 International Student Competition in Architectural Design, Living on the remote island has given him new insights into the use of architecture for rural vitalization. He studied logistics management as an undergraduate at Tongji University and later obtained a master's degree in supply chain management from Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands.