305 George Yu
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
George, the youngest of nine children, was born and grew up in Shanghai, China. During the communist takeover, as the country was war-torn, he and his family escaped on one of the last planes leaving the mainland for Hong Kong. He attended school in Hong Kong and moved to Sao Paolo, Brazil during his high school years. His entrepreneurial father, having lost his lucrative import/ export business to communism, started over completely, learning how to grow and manufacture Chinese herbs, including mint, producing medicinal menthol and corn-producing alcohol for plane fuel. His father’s industrious work ethic and love of travel brought his dad to Japan to learn and produce these plants and products.
As a result, George’s young life was inspired through his father’s purposeful and progressive planning and an adventure for travel. George graduated from architecture from North Carolina State University for his undergraduate degree and subsequently earned his master’s degree in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania studying under Louis Kahn. He worked at Mitchell/ Giurgola Architects helping to design the Swarthmore College Lang Music Building, the original Liberty Bell Pavilion and the First Phase Winning Design of Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra.
Owning his own firm for 43 years, GYA Architects, George had completed the design of the Meditation Building at Stoney Point Center, Stoney Point, NY at the Presbyterian Conference Center. The Japan International Christian University Foundation President/ CEO then, Dr. David Vikner, stayed on retreat at Stoney Point and was taken by George’s design. He subsequently hired George to design International Christian University’s Master Plan, Residence Halls, Faculty/ Visiting Professors’ High Rise, Student Center and Dining Hall in Tokyo.
George’s professional career focused on churches of all faiths, and Universities, including Penn, Temple and Villanova.
George Yu lived from 1940-2023, leaving his wife, Lotus Leong, married for 50 years, 2 daughters, Lia & Bian, son-in-law, Steve Su, his sisters Vivian Wu & Ann Yu, and brothers, Hwa-Nien Yu & Chia-Nien Yu.
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