Qiyao Chen
| Melo
—
#Pillsforthissadworld
Human Computer/AI Interaction Researcher
Designer
Photographer
Cornell University, B.Arch 24’
Harvard University, M.Des Mediums 26’
Work Experience
NOEMA | Co-Founder
Cambridge, MA, United States | Oct. 2025 – Present
RayNeo | Research Intern
Shenzhen, China | Aug. 2025 – Sep. 2025
HDR
| Software Developer & Computational Designer Intern
Omaha, NE, United States | Jun. 2025 – Aug. 2025
Meshy AI | Product Intern
CA, United States (Remote) | Jan. 2025 – May. 2025
Harvard University | Research Assistant
Cambridge, MA, Unites States | Oct. 2024 – Feb. 2025
Kengo Kuma & Associates | Computational Designer / Architectural Intern
Tokyo, Japan | Jun. 2023 – Aug. 2023
Cornell University | Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant
Ithaca, USA | Sep. 2022 – May. 2024
Snøhetta
| Computational Designer Intern
Shenzhen, China & New York City, USA | Jun. 2024 – Aug. 2024
In a world where the boundaries between the virtual and the real dissolve into one seamless continuum, I am drawn to the spaces of tension and poetry that arise from this convergence. The virtual realm, once imagined as a mere extension of human creativity, has now infiltrated every layer of reality, reshaping how we perceive ourselves, others, and the spaces we inhabit. This intricate dance between the physical and the digital holds within it both a promise and a paradox—a longing for connection in an increasingly fragmented world.
My work is an exploration of this tension, a reflection on how the virtual constructs new dimensions of identity while simultaneously unraveling established notions of presence and permanence. Through the interplay of immersive visuals, projection mapping, and interactive systems, I weave digital narratives into physical spaces, not to replace reality, but to reimagine it. A wall becomes a window, a shadow becomes a story, and the act of viewing transforms into an intimate dialogue between worlds.
At its heart, my practice seeks to evoke the anemoia of our age—a nostalgia for futures we have never experienced and a yearning for connections that transcend the immediate and the tangible. In these virtual overlays, I find a mirror of contemporary life: a society caught between hyperconnectivity and profound isolation, between technological advancement and a search for human authenticity.
I aim to create experiences that displace the ordinary, guiding viewers to move fluidly between spaces and identities. These transitions challenge the familiar and invite moments of reflection on what it means to exist in a world so deeply interwoven with digital textures. In a time when our sense of self is often fractured across virtual and physical platforms, my work aspires to remind us of the beauty—and the pain—of navigating this dual existence.
By placing audiences at the intersection of reality and imagination, I hope to rekindle a sense of wonder about the human experience. It is in these liminal spaces that I believe we can uncover the profound truths of our time: that presence is not a fixed state, and that connection—whether real or virtual—is ultimately a journey of rediscovery.