Ji, Nancy

Nancy Ji is a designer, researcher, and Lecturer in Architectural Design at the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne. Trained in architecture, her work examines how spatial practices reflect social and cultural transformations across East Asia and the Asia-Pacific. She holds a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the University of Auckland, a Master of Architecture from the University of Melbourne, and completed her PhD at Keio University as a recipient of the MEXT Japanese Government Scholarship. Her doctoral research investigated rural revitalisation and Japan’s “Return to the Countryside” movement, focusing on adaptive reuse projects in depopulating regions.

Working across writing, fieldwork, and curatorial practice, Nancy explores vernacular architecture, migration, and post-growth conditions as lived and spatial phenomena. Her research and design work have received international recognition, including the Mercedes-Benz Design Award and the Emerging Designer Award from Craft Victoria. She is a registered architect in Victoria, Australia.