Stadt+Grün：In Memory of Kongjian Yu
This memory, written by German scholar Johannes Küchler, reflects on the life, work, and intellectual legacy of Professor Kongjian Yu. Beginning with his tragic death in Brazil’s Pantanal wetlands, the article traces Yu’s formative rural childhood, his academic development, and particularly his introduction of the concept of “ecological security patterns” into China’s rapid urbanization process following his doctoral studies at Harvard GSD. Küchler highlights Yu’s reinterpretation of landscape architecture through the philosophy of Turen, his critique of purely decorative urban beautification, and his advocacy for holistic, nature-based urban development. The essay emphasizes Yu’s pivotal role in advancing the Sponge City concept as a paradigm for climate adaptation, as well as his influence in education, professional practice, and policy reform. It concludes that Yu will be remembered not only as a visionary designer and thinker, but also as an exceptional communicator and cultural mediator whose ideas will continue to shape global discourse on sustainable urban futures.
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