Metropolis names Jack Tam among 100 top graduating architecture students of 2024
“Through UC Berkeley’s MArch program, I learned to design with a profound focus on humanistic sensitivity, emphasizing responsible building practices and creating spaces that harmonize with both natural ecosystems and diverse social contexts,” says Tam.
Metropolis has named Jack Tam (MArch 2024) to the Future100 class of 2024. A jury of design experts extends this exclusive designation annually to the top 100 graduating architecture and interior design students in the United States and Canada.
“We were blown away by the quality of work you and your peers submitted, and we feel that you represent a bright future for our industry — one of beautiful, thoughtful, innovative, sustainable and inclusive design,” the magazine’s editors wrote in the award letter.
Dan Spiegel, continuing lecturer in the Department of Architecture, and Richard J. Wood, managing director of Asia, Snøhetta, nominated Tam for the award. Tam’s work is featured in the spring print issue of Metropolis and on the magazine’s website.
A rising star
The jury praised the winners for demonstrating a deep understanding of their responsibility to make an impact through design. “With empathy and maturity, they address community, culture, inclusivity, and sustainability through detailed research, fresh methodologies, and innovative materiality—establishing their rising star status and proving their merit as they embark on their careers.”
—Jack Tam, MArch 2024
Recognition from Metropolis puts honorees on the map with leading architecture and design firms. In his nomination letter, Spiegel wrote, “Jack will undoubtedly make a valuable addition to any ambitious architectural practice.”
“I am eager to deepen my understanding of diverse cultures and ecosystems and I aspire to contribute to meaningful projects that positively impact communities worldwide through integrating social sensitivity and ecological responsibility in my design processes,” Tam says.
Exploring materials and meaning
Tam’s design portfolio reveals his interest in novel methodologies, innovative materiality, and how spaces can unify urban fabrics.
For example, in the project “Whispering Wall,” Tam and his design partner imagined new arrangements between transportation infrastructure and community. Spiegel says. “The ‘Whispering Wall’ project builds layers of technical complexity on a loaded site into a project so carefully calibrated that it could produce a distinct sense of both monumentality and calm.”
“Jack’s work shows an unusual commitment to conveying meaning and experience through detailed material tectonics,” adds Spiegel.
Tam’s 2022 project “Urban Regeneration: Agri-topia,” which investigates ways to rejuvenate an Oakland neighborhood near the Jack London square farmer’s market, was awarded the Department of Architecture’s Design Excellence award.
Other projects from Tam’s years in Berkeley’s MArch program experimented with different materials, from aluminum tubes to brick, and considered how digital interventions have changed the architect’s involvement in crafts and materials.
An architecture of humanism
After leaving Berkeley, Tam, who has previously worked at Snøhetta and OMA, plans to join an international practice dedicated to sustainable design, prioritizing the harmony between built environments and their natural contexts.
“The award reaffirms my dedication to crafting designs that prioritize community well-being and environmental sustainability,” Tam says. “Through UC Berkeley’s MArch program, I learned to design with a profound focus on humanistic sensitivity, emphasizing responsible building practices and creating spaces that harmonize with both natural ecosystems and diverse social contexts.”