At 19, Frank Fu Is Already Applying Architecture to Art

Frank Fu (Architecture 4th Year) has lived the world over, from Shenzhen, China, to Abu Dhabi to Omaha, Nebraska. When Fu knew he wanted to study architecture, though, he knew Chicago was the place to do it.

“Chicago has a great architecture scene, and the campus is very close in proximity to the city. The campus itself is also unique in the style and program of education,” he says.

In addition to his studies as an architecture student, Frank runs his own small graphic design company in River North, where he works with clients in both the interior design industry and politics. But before graphic design and before architecture, he found an outlet in fashion design, exhibiting his work at fashion shows in the Midwest and even producing a line of androgynous clothing in conjunction with a factory in Shenzhen, China. For Frank, studying architecture offers more than just an introduction into the field; it’s a formal education in how things are designed and made, one he can apply to his current practice as a designer.

“Architecture is all about design and functionality. In fact, it may be a perfect marriage of the two,” says Frank. “Pursuing it will allow me to gain a greater understanding of how things work alongside the ways things should be designed.”