Guanyu Tao: Blending Art and Design in Architecture

Artist Weekly Staff

By: Sarah Douglas

Guanyu (Gerry) Tao is a Los Angeles-based architectural designer and artist whose work traverses the realms of architecture, digital design, and art. With a background rooted in both spatial logic and creative experimentation, Tao challenges traditional design conventions by constantly questioning how form and space interact. He redefines how environments are perceived through his work, blending physical and digital elements into seamless, thought-provoking experiences.

Graduating from the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc), Tao cultivated a design philosophy that emphasizes exploration over convention. His practice embraces the fluidity between architectural and artistic expression, leading him to craft both built and conceptual works.

His work reflects an enduring commitment to pushing boundaries—both visible and invisible—offering new perspectives on how spaces can be inhabited, manipulated, and experienced. Tao’s artistic and architectural practice reveals a belief that design is not merely about construction but also about creating immersive narratives and connections between people and their environments.

Exploring the Hidden Dimensions of Space

Poché is a series of works created by Guanyu between 2023 and 2024, encompassing both video and physical models. The series has been showcased in multiple exhibitions, each inviting audiences to explore the hidden dimensions of space. Rooted in an architectural concept referring to the thickness and voids within walls, Tao reinterprets these voids not as mere structural necessities but as spaces filled with unseen possibilities.

This body of work reflects Tao’s fascination with spaces that exist between the visible and the invisible, challenging the notion that what is hidden holds less importance than what is exposed. Each piece in the Poché series transforms voids into vibrant, narrative spaces, inspiring viewers to imagine what might lie within architectural boundaries that often go unnoticed.

More than just a study of form, Poché operates as a poetic inquiry into absence, shape, and the relationships between solid and empty. The series exemplifies Tao’s commitment to redefining space through artistic experimentation, suggesting that architecture can transcend function and material to become a medium for storytelling. By framing absence as an integral part of the design, Poché invites reflection on the boundaries between the real and the imagined, the seen and the hidden.

Soft Boundaries, Hard Realities

If Poché focuses on the hidden spaces within walls, Edges examines the thresholds where fluidity meets rigidity—where soft, undefined forms develop sharp, precise boundaries. In Edges, Tao uses cloud-like shapes to explore this paradox: How can something inherently amorphous possess sharp edges?

These works embody Tao’s fascination with the ways architectural form emerges through materiality, boundaries, and thresholds. Much like the hidden spaces in Poché, the shapes in Edges occupy an in-between state, challenging conventional ideas about control and freedom within design. The clouds, although symbolic of softness and fluidity, take on sharp, defined edges, suggesting that even the most intangible elements can be shaped and structured.

Guanyu Tao Blending Art and Design in Architecture (1)

Photo Courtesy: Guanyu Tao

Poché and Edges reflect Tao’s ongoing exploration of boundaries—visible or invisible, physical or conceptual. Both projects encourage audiences to reconsider how architecture and form create meaning, not only by defining space but also by shaping how that space is perceived and experienced. Tao’s works suggest that within every boundary lies an opportunity for narrative and, within every shape, a potential for transformation.

Unlocking Modular Narratives in Virtual Space

META_KEYSMITH is an exploration of the interplay between architecture and digital environments, blending modular design with philosophical reflections on access and control. Created by Guanyu, this work draws inspiration from the traditional Chinese puzzle game “Huarong Dao,” transforming the mechanics of rearrangement into an immersive virtual experience. Within this speculative metaverse environment, forms are not fixed but fluid, allowing users to manipulate and unlock new spaces by shifting components—a metaphor for how architecture might evolve in a digital future.

This work expands Tao’s fascination with boundaries, questioning the idea that spaces—whether virtual or physical—must be static or predetermined. Much like the hidden voids in Poché, the modular elements of META_KEYSMITH exist in a liminal state, ready to be reconfigured and reshaped by the user. The project embraces uncertainty and fluidity, suggesting that space is not only designed but also continuously negotiated through interaction.

Visually, META_KEYSMITH incorporates cyberpunk aesthetics, using bold forms and vibrant colors to reflect the tension between control and freedom in virtual environments. The work challenges participants to rethink the nature of access: What does it mean to unlock a space? What happens when barriers become gateways? These questions are woven into the project’s structure, encouraging users to view architectural boundaries not as obstacles but as opportunities for engagement and transformation.

Awarded a Bronze prize at the 2023 International Design Awards (IDA), META_KEYSMITH exemplifies Tao’s ability to blend architectural thought with artistic expression. It extends his inquiry into modularity, play, and interaction, proposing new ways of understanding space in a world where the boundaries between the physical and digital are increasingly blurred. Through this work, Tao invites audiences to see architecture not only as a tool for constructing spaces but also as a dynamic medium for storytelling, where each rearranged form offers a new narrative.

A Foundation in Spatial Innovation and Conceptual Design

While architecture remains at the forefront of Guanyu’s career, his artistic explorations—such as Poché and METAKEYSMITH—serve as complementary platforms for experimentation. These projects allow him to investigate modularity, form, and spatial narrative concepts, reinforcing the same themes underpinning his architectural work. This fluid exchange between art and architecture exemplifies Tao’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of design in all its forms.

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Photo Courtesy: Guanyu Tao

Tao’s professional career reflects a deep engagement with urban systems and architectural design, blending creativity with technical precision. He has contributed to the large-scale urban planning of St. Petersburg, participating in the development of diverse residential districts and urban neighborhoods. Beyond residential and community projects, Tao has also been involved in cultural and retail architecture, working on complex shopping centers and cultural spaces that merge functionality with immersive design.

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Photo Courtesy: Guanyu Tao

Over the course of his career, Tao has earned more than ten awards across various fields, recognizing his ability to innovate within both architecture and design. His focus lies in creating spaces that foster interaction and provide meaningful experiences for users. Tao’s architectural practice goes beyond simply meeting technical requirements; it aims to reshape how people engage with built environments, enriching both the public and private realms.