Louis Chan
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Vital Information
- Born: May 2, 1965 in Manila, Philippines
- Parents: Jesse-Chan, Betty-Chan
- Siblings: Rose Chan Loui (older), Meg Chan Feitelberg (older), Michelle Chan Ng (younger)
- Spouse: Iris Yamashita (married)
Education
Graduate School
- Cranbrook Academy of Art, Michigan
- Degree: Masters in Architecture
- Cranbrook is renowned for design and architecture education
Undergraduate
- University of Houston
- Attended: 1983
- Scholarship: Received scholarship for college
Earlier Education
- Dominican School, Taipei
- Taipei American School, Taipei
- Family moved to Taipei when Louis was age 3 (1968)
Career
Architecture
- Professional architect with Masters degree from prestigious Cranbrook Academy
- Specific projects and specialization to be documented
Personal Life
Marriage to Iris Yamashita
-
Married to Iris Yamashita
-
Iris Yamashita is a screenwriter
-
Notable work: Nominated for screenplay of “Letters from Iwo Jima” (2006)
- Directed by Clint Eastwood
- Companion film to “Flags of Our Fathers”
- Told story of Battle of Iwo Jima from Japanese perspective
- Academy Award nominated for Best Picture
-
Mother Betty specifically mentions appreciating Iris Yamashita’s:
- Writing ability
- Screenwriting nomination
- Even temperament
Family Position
- Only son among four children
- Five years younger than Rose
- Two years younger than Meg
- Three years older than Michelle
Timeline
| File | type | date | location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 - Relocation Chan Family to Taiwan | relocation | 1968 | - |
| 2023-Relocation-John-Iris-To-Portugal | relocation | 2023 | - |
Sources
Notes
Only Son
As the only son in a Chinese-Filipino family, Louis likely had particular cultural expectations and pressures. The family invested significantly in his education:
- International schools in Taipei
- University in United States
- Graduate school at prestigious architecture program
Architecture Career
Louis’s choice of architecture represents creative/technical blend:
- Requires both artistic vision and engineering precision
- Masters from Cranbrook indicates serious professional commitment
- Cranbrook known for modernist design tradition
Married to Notable Screenwriter
Iris Yamashita’s Academy Award nomination for “Letters from Iwo Jima” represents significant achievement:
- Major Hollywood production (Clint Eastwood/Steven Spielberg)
- Critically acclaimed film
- Complex, sensitive subject matter (WWII from Japanese perspective)
- Required deep historical research and cultural understanding
Uncle to Nicholas, Ryan, and Samantha
As Rose’s brother, Louis is uncle to Warren and Rose’s three children:
Childhood in Taipei
Louis spent most of his childhood and adolescence in Taipei:
- Born 1965 (likely Manila)
- Moved to Taipei 1968 (age 3)
- Left for University of Houston 1983 (age 18)
- Entire childhood in Taipei (ages 3-18)
Current Life (2023-Present)
Relocation to Portugal
- Around 2023, John and Iris relocated from Los Angeles, California to Porto, Portugal
- See 2023-Relocation-John-Iris-To-Portugal for details
- Move came after both parents passed away in 2022 (Jesse in August, Betty in November)
- Represents latest chapter in Chan family’s multi-generational migration pattern
- First of his generation to move outside the United States after immigrating
Life in Porto
- Living in or near Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city
- Both have portable careers (architecture and screenwriting) enabling international living
- Specific location and activities to be documented
Writing
”The Japanese Colonel” (November 2022)
Three months after his father Jesse Chan’s death in August 2022, John wrote a dramatized retelling of one of Jesse’s most memorable stories from World War II. The story, “The Japanese Colonel”, recounts how 12-year-old Ke Leong (Jesse’s Chinese name) befriended a Japanese colonel during the occupation of Hong Kong in December 1941.
John’s version transforms his father’s oral history into a vivid narrative, adding literary details like:
- The colonel’s beautiful brown Arabian horse with white mane
- A wrestling match where young Jesse knocked down the colonel, winning his respect
- The colonel bringing a model ship from the American President Lines office as a gift
- The haunting line: “The difference between life and death, no thicker than a piece of paper”
The story serves as both a tribute to Jesse and a preservation of family history for future generations.
Research Needed
- Birth location (likely Manila)
- Full name - Goes by “John Louis Chan” or “Louis”
- Current architecture practice/firm in Portugal
- Notable architectural projects
- Children’s names and ages
- Exact location in Porto area
- When exactly did they move to Portugal? (2023?)
- When he met Iris Yamashita
- Iris Yamashita’s full background and other screenwriting work
- University of Houston major and graduation year
- Cranbrook graduation year
- Relationship with extended Loui family
- How often they visit Los Angeles
- Professional work in Portugal