Design Director Yi You is featured in WLA as part of a series featuring global talent from the profession.
A member of Cracknell’s London and Shenzhen studios, Yi shares his experience working across the UK, China, and the MENA region, along with his perspective on landscape led design and its growing role in shaping cities.
Yi’s international experience has shaped a strong appreciation for how landscape responds to cultural, environmental, and urban contexts. From his early work in the UK, to large scale public realm projects in China, he talks about how a landscape led approach can bring greater focus to place making, outdoor living, and community wellbeing. He highlights the importance of integrating landscape with architecture and urban design to create memorable, inclusive, and high quality spaces. A key theme in his work is the emphasis on the role of landscape to improve everyday life from enhancing biodiversity and supporting sustainable strategies to creating comfortable microclimates, particularly in the Middle East. By bringing these elements together, he aims to deliver spaces that are both impactful and meaningful.
Reflecting on his international experience, Yi highlights the value of working across different countries and cultures, where collaboration and shared knowledge play an important role in delivering successful projects.