Norwegian University of Life Sciences: In memoriam - Professor Kongjian Yu (1963-2025)

Renowned landscape architect Kongjian Yu (1963–2025), honorary doctorate recipient of NMBU and professor at Peking University, tragically died in a plane crash in Brazil while working on a documentary project. Yu pioneered the “sponge city” concept—nature-based solutions that allow urban landscapes to absorb, store, purify, and slowly release rainwater rather than expelling it via conventional drainage systems.  His “big-foot aesthetics” approach emphasized working with nature instead of against it, shaping a new sustainable paradigm in landscape architecture. Widely regarded as an international role model, Yu’s influence spanned from China to global practitioners and policy-makers, especially through his work with his firm Turenscape. NMBU extends its deepest condolences and affirms that Yu’s groundbreaking ideas will continue to shape cities for generations to come. 

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Source: https://www.nmbu.no/en/nyheter/memoriam-professor-kongjian-yu-1963-2025