Annie Zhao is dedicated to creating place through human experience and sustainable design. She traces her interest in architecture in part to her teenage years, when she found joy in the building process in Minecraft. While studying architecture at UVA, she helped build UVA Shredz, a recycling initiative that repurposes lab plastic into material for design-build projects, including an occupiable pavilion at the Morven Sustainability Lab. Outside of work, she volunteers as a choral leader and spends her free time outdoors, and is especially drawn to challenging hikes.