Nini Zhang is a Beijing-born, Melbourne-based designer currently studying a Bachelor of Design at the University of Melbourne, majoring in Graphic Design. Her work explores the intersection between visual communication, emotion, and storytelling, often blending typography, colour, and spatial composition to create thoughtful, human-centred design. With experience across branding, publication, and digital media, Nini is particularly interested in how design can connect culture and communication, and she brings a global perspective shaped by her studies and cross-disciplinary projects in both design and marketing.

Her individual project, the YOU Magazine, explores the role of graphic design in bridging personal memory with collective cultural narratives, with a particular focus on the interplay of tradition and reinvention. This inaugural issue focuses on Nanluoguxiang, reimagining Beijing’s historic hutongs as spaces where heritage and modern life intertwine. Visually, the project adopts a playful and contemporary aesthetic drawn from traditional signage, textures, and architectural motifs, creating a design language that reflects the layered and evolving identity of Beijing. The final outcome takes the form of a travel pack including a zine, a poster map, and a set of postcards and stickers, each offering tactile engagement with the stories and spaces of Nanluoguxiang.