Castillo Yao Design (cyd) is a Brooklyn-based design practice founded by Amie Yao and Merrick Castillo. The studio investigates the relationship between architecture, atmosphere, and ecology, producing work that operates between built form, material systems, and environmental conditions.
cyd’s projects range from speculative proposals to infrastructural architecture, often engaging international competitions and exhibitions as a platform for research driven design. Working closely with nature as a design agent, their projects position architecture as a mediator between ecological systems and human experience.
Amie Yao
Hanqing (Amie) Yao is a founder of cyd, and currently works as a designer at BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group. She holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley. where she focused on establishing connections between life, people, and nature through the use of color, and material architecture.
Amie has been recognized with several honors, including selection to the Metropolis Future 100, first place in Surface magazine’s Summer Design Challenge, and top awards in travel fellowships such as the F. Schenk-Henry Gillette Woodman Scholarship and the E. Lewis Dales Traveling Fellowship. Her design work has also been featured in the CityX Venice Virtual Pavilion, Nature, Art and Habitat, New Art City, and Pressing Matters.
Merrick Castillo
Merrick Castillo is a founder of cyd, and currently works as a Senior Designer and Project Leader at Archi-Tectonics NYC. He holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design, where he received the F. Schenk-Henry Gillette Woodman Scholarship and The E. Lewis Dales Traveling Fellowship.
In addition to his architecture and design research, Merrick serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University and as a Part-Time Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania. His design work has been featured in the CityX Venice Virtual Pavilion, Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism, The Chicago Architecture Biennale, Nature, Art and Habitat, New Art City, and Pressing Matters.
Selected Awards & Publications
2025 — Unesco Ancient Theatre International Competition — Finalist
2024 — Nautical Club Ohrid International Competition — Honorable Mention
2024 — “The Way of Cipan” Exhibition — Featured Design
2023 — CityX Venice Virtual Pavilion — Venice Biennale
2023 — Sansusī Sound Sculpture International Competition — Shortlisted
2022 — Tili Wine Italy Guest Homes Competition — Shortlisted
2021 — Metropolis Future 100 — Hanqing Yao (Co-Founder, CYD) — Award
2021 — Surface Magazine — Hanqing Yao (Co-Founder, CYD) — Feature
Brooklyn, NY