CINGS Spotlight: Nicky Chang's Journey Through Architecture, Philanthropy, and Art

Bridging art, architecture, and design, Nicky Chang exemplifies how cross-cultural understanding and creative vision can shape both professional excellence and community impact. Nick is the founder of Meanwhile Partner, and her journey from art to architectural designer to brand strategist demonstrates the power of embracing interdisciplinary paths. Through Meanwhile Partners, APT (Architectural Practice Talks), and CINGS, Nicky continues to foster connections that enrich creative communities across cultural boundaries.

In this CINGS Spotlight profile, we spoke to Nicky about her experiences, work, and why she joined CINGS.

From an undergraduate student in art history to earning a master's degree in architecture, it’s quite a jump! How has your cross-disciplinary education influenced your multiple career paths?

I grew up in art. During my undergraduate years at Williams College, my fascination for art and design's ability to transform the built environment motivated me to major in art history practice. A third-year exchange experience at Columbia GSAPP's New York | Paris program, combined with my work as an architectural designer after graduation, inspired me to pursue my Master's degree at Yale School of Architecture. Architecture was the best channel, and in my mind, the best medium at that time which made the most sense to me. After Yale, my interest in tall buildings and hospitality design launched a fulfilling career at well-renowned architecture firm called Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). A passion project, "Table for Six," a referral-only dinner series I hosted with New York's rising star chefs, led me to eventually rediscover my unique position as a creative in brand strategy and design.

As the founder of Meanwhile Partners, what are your main responsibilities and vision for the firm? Meanwhile is also such an interesting name choice, how did you decide on it?

Meanwhile Partners is a strategy-driven design-venture studio that I co-manage with my Tokyo-based creative partner, Jaime Garcia. Despite the geographic distance, our studio thrives on collaboration across time zones. It's named "Meanwhile" to reflect our cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approach. We work with startup companies and cultural institutions and function as a platform for team members from different countries across many design practices to come together and solve unique problems. We love it, and I'm proud to have built a small but very mighty team.

Aside from your work, you're the Program Director of APT (Architectural Practice Talks). Can you explain why it's called APT and what role you play in the community?

It's called APT because our first event was like a house party, exactly 10 years ago. APT is now a vibrant, global platform connecting over 1500 young architects and design professionals between China and the US. We focused on mentoring young architects, specifically three to 10 years out of school. We want to curate a talk that alternates between world-known architects and young designers. So the platform is built to promote young designers. I joined APT starting with the second event. My role at the organization mainly focuses on establishing long-term, sustainable relationships with strategic partners, including the New York Public Library and the Center for Architecture. In 2022, APT launched the Rural Future Award, the first design award focusing on outstanding contemporary architectural practices in rural China. The initiative aligns with China's ongoing rural revitalization efforts and emphasizes the organization's dedication to sustainable, community-focused architecture. It’s been a rewarding experience seeing some great designs in Rural China.

How do you view your involvement with CINGS, and what initially drew you to the organization?

CINGS has always been a part of my life in New York. Even before I joined as an official member, I enjoyed attending its many dynamic programs. When I think about my community and network, CINGS is an integral part of it. Now, as a member, I curate programs and events that amplify the voices of the next-gen designers.