Dear FCL Global Community,

My name is Yuqin, and I am a PhD researcher in the [ACP] Architectural Cognition in Practice module at FCL Global, based in the Singapore Hub. I’m currently in Zurich for a research stay at the Chair of Cognitive Science of Prof. Christoph Hölscher at ETH Zurich. It has been a truly enriching experience!

Apart from continuing to carry out my existing research projects and experiment planning, One of the highlights was conducting a workshop/roundtable with architecture students at D-ARCH, using the Spatial Cognition Thinking Cards developed by our team in the past. The sessions were a space for mutual learning: students engaged and learnt with spatial cognition concepts and its integration into design process through interactive activities, and we gained insight into their design thinking process and perspectives. We received positive feedback and many interesting reflections.

I’ve also had the chance to engage more directly with research activities within our Chair and attend D-GESS events like the behavioural colloquiums. These have deepened my understanding of the ongoing work in Zurich across our department. Being based in Europe has also enabled closer interaction with partners here. I’ve had fruitful exchanges with our Co-PI’s team at Telecom Paris and we are preparing for upcoming workshops and visits with our industry partners.

In parallel, I’ve attended in-person courses across ETH—from data analytics to experimental design and human-computer interaction (HCI)—which have broadened my methodological skills and opened new perspectives for my research.

Overall, this stay has offered valuable time for reflection, collaboration, and learning. I look forward to carrying these insights back to our work in Singapore.