Samuel (Nan) Li

As a Director in KPF’s Shanghai office, Samuel has served as a guiding figure for many high-profile, commercial developments in China since joining the firm in 2008, bringing a wide range of experience in architectural and interior design, construction management, and project management.

As Project Director, Samuel employs his extensive construction and site management experience to achieve project quality, while his expertise in technical review through each phase enables seamless client and consultant coordination. In Shanghai, Sam used his fluency in English, Putonghua, and Shanghai’s dialect to facilitate proper communication, timely coordination, and efficient delivery between KPF and local teams for the Qiantan Center. The 280,000 m2 complex features a five-star hotel and 270-meter office tower connected by a retail podium. Likewise, Sam managed the Chengdu Tianfu Supertall, the tallest project in the city, comprising a 489-meter landmark tower with an observation deck and lounge, a 100-meter 5-star hotel, and a culture and boutique retail center.

Samuel’s leadership on complex, mixed-use developments also includes the Jing An Kerry Centre, a development that fuses the neighborhood’s historic character with the creativity of modern Shanghai, serving as a signature landmark for the city. Other projects for which Sam played a key role include SOHO Gubei and Lenovo Houhai Center, office towers that incorporate retail programming at their base.

Samuel attended Tongji University and received a Dual Master’s Degree in Urban Design from Tongji University and Technical University of Berlin.