Josephine Yilan Liu

Josephine Yilan Liu is a designer, researcher, and framework builder trained in architecture, environmental design, and cognitive science. With over 15 years of experience in Europe and China, she has worked in both fast-paced design studios and large-scale public-sector projects. She is the co-founder of the Urban Future Global Conference. In recent years, her work has revolved around a central question: “What kind of people do our built environments help shape?” To address this, she developed Transformative Cities, a research-based methodological framework that translates insights from cognitive and behavioral sciences into practical design tools. The aim is to enable cities and designers to intentionally influence behavior, attention, and social life through the shaping of physical space.