3h57m is a design and research practice founded by Yvonne Yexuan Gu in 2019, dedicated to exploring the intersection of architecture and ecology, with a strong emphasis on infrastructural modernity and infrastructure-inspired architecture. The practice seeks to reimagine how architecture can harmonize with natural systems, creating resilient solutions that address contemporary environmental and urban challenges. 3h57m creates spaces that resonate with the quiet pulse of nature, where architecture merges with its surroundings in a seamless flow. Each design finds its strength in simplicity, embracing the subtle interplay between structure and the unexpected.
The name "3h57m" is drawn from the length of Yvonne’s favorite film, A Brighter Summer Day by Edward Yang. Its nearly four-hour runtime moves at a deliberately slow pace, revealing layers of narrative with quiet patience. This structure mirrors 3h57m’s design philosophy: a belief in the power of slowness - not as the only way to design, but as a way that allows space for contemplation and care. Like a slow-building film, architecture, too, benefits from deliberate, thoughtful pacing, where each decision, no matter how small, accumulates toward a meaningful whole.
In addition to its architectural and ecological work, 3h57m also engages in non-fiction documentary projects about architecture, using film to explore and document the processes, spaces, and narratives that shape the built environment. This interdisciplinary approach allows the practice to push the boundaries of both architecture and its representation, creating a deeper understanding of how infrastructure, design, and nature intersect.
Yvonne Gu holds a Ph.D. in Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Chmapaign and is currently pursuing a Master of Architecture I degree from Harvard Graduate School of Design. She previously taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Cincinnati.