ASLA: Remembering Kongjian Yu - Champion for Nature and Compassionate Cities

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) issued a statement on September 24, 2025, honoring the life and contributions of Kongjian Yu, FASLA, who passed away on September 23, 2025. Yu was a visionary landscape architect and educator, known for his pioneering work in sustainable urban design and ecological resilience. He founded Turenscape and served as a professor at Peking University, where he developed the "sponge city" concept—an approach to urban planning that integrates natural water management systems to enhance flood resilience and biodiversity. His work has influenced national policies in China and inspired global urban resilience efforts. Yu's contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the IFLA Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award, the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, and the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize. He was elected a Fellow of ASLA in 2012, and his practice, Turenscape, received several ASLA Awards. ASLA President Kona Gray, FASLA, PLA, described Yu as a colleague and friend, noting his ability to make complex truths feel simple and human. ASLA extends its heartfelt condolences to Yu's family, friends, colleagues at Turenscape, and the many communities uplifted by his work. His legacy lives on in landscapes that heal, protect, and bring people together.

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Source: https://www.asla.org/NewsReleaseDetails.aspx?id=67864