Weiyu Xu is a designer at KPF with a passion for storytelling through images, space, and emotion. Her work transforms data and research into compelling visual narratives that reveal the human dimension of urban change. She believes in the power of visualization to connect people to place and inspire social and ecological awareness.
How many years have you been a judge?
This is my first year!
What excited you about judging for the Telly Awards?
As a designer, I usually evaluate the built environment from the perspective of functionality, constructability, and spatial experience. Judging the Telly Awards gives me a unique opportunity to step outside of that framework and consider work solely from the perspective of narrative, cinematography, and visual storytelling. I am excited to explore how architecture and built spaces are captured on screen, whether as central objects, background context, or harmonious elements that enhance a story. It is fascinating to see how filmmakers use design as a medium to convey ideas, evoke emotions, and communicate messages in ways that go beyond physical construction. This fresh perspective allows me to connect my design expertise with the art of storytelling in new and inspiring ways.
What project are you most proud to have worked on?
The project I am most proud to have worked on is Terra Carbon, which received the Muse Gold Award. Over the course of a year, our team conducted scientific research and created a virtual reality experience and supporting media to visualize how CO₂ can be solidified into building materials. What excited me most was translating complex environmental processes into immersive visual narratives, allowing viewers to experience the material transformation from particle scale to human scale. Through careful use of spatial composition, lighting, and interactive storytelling, the project communicates environmental awareness while demonstrating how technology and architecture can come together to create tangible, meaningful impact.
What do you look for to determine excellence in video?
I look for the visual integrity of spatial connections, the flow of the narrative, and how each scene contributes to a cohesive story. I pay close attention to how the environment is represented, including landscape, lighting, materials, and texture, and how these elements are carefully crafted to convey emotion and support the story. For a truly outstanding video, every visual detail should feel intentional and purposeful, enhancing the audience’s understanding and emotional engagement. It is the combination of spatial clarity, aesthetic quality, and narrative coherence that distinguishes exceptional work from the rest.
What are your current roles and responsibilities and what do you love most about your job?
My work is primarily focused on designing human-centered environments, with a significant part dedicated to creating, rendering, and editing architectural videos that we present to clients and the public, whether in presentations or online releases. What I love most about my job is bringing these media to life. Watching a 3D model transform into a tangible scene with materials, sunlight, sky, people, and atmospheric effects. It allows me to see how a concept evolves into a real, impactful experience that can move and engage viewers. At the same time, the process of brainstorming and producing these videos is incredibly rewarding. We carefully craft narrative, storyboards, music, composition, and pacing to convey the unique qualities of each space. This integration of design, visualization, and narrative is what makes my work both challenging and deeply fulfilling.
What initiatives or projects are you working on now that excite you?
One initiative involves using immersive video and motion graphics to translate urban and environmental research into experiences that audiences can feel and understand intuitively. Another focus is experimenting with narrative-driven visualizations that highlight the emotional and social impact of spaces, showing how design choices shape human experience. What excites me most is discovering innovative ways to communicate architectural ideas through media, making the invisible aspects of space and environment visible and emotionally resonant.
