Extreme weather events are rising in both frequency and severity across Southeast Asia, aggravating urban flooding in major megacities. Problems stem from outdated infrastructure, rapid urbanization, impermeable surfaces, low-lying coastal locations, and drainage systems unable to cope with intense precipitation. In China, the concept of “sponge cities”—urban design that emphasizes absorption, retention, infiltration, and purification of rainwater via green roofs, permeable pavements, wetlands, ...

In July 2012, a massive flash flood struck Beijing as rainfall in the Chinese capital caused the nearby Juma River to overflow its banks. In less than 24 hours, nearly 60,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes and 79 people died. Damages to the city were estimated at around $1.6 billion.

At the opening of the international conference, Chinese landscape architect and urban planner Kongjian Yu underscored the significance of the “sponge city” concept. He argued that in the face of extreme weather and flood risks, traditional grey infrastructure—such as concrete drainage systems and flood walls—lacks resilience and adaptability. Instead, nature-based “sponge cities” employ ecological infrastructure—wetlands, parks, permeable paving, rain gardens, green roofs—to absorb, store, and n...

Chinese landscape architect Kongjian Yu, dean of the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Peking University, and the visionary behind the “sponge city” concept, is scheduled to deliver the keynote lecture at the International CAU Conference 2025 in Brasília on September 4, 2025. Known for promoting nature-based solutions for urban flood resilience—such as permeable landscapes, wetlands, parks, and urban ecological infrastructure—the sponge city concept has been successfully impl...

Indian cities are increasingly facing the adverse impacts of urbanisation, erratic rainfall, and climate change, leading to frequent seasonal flooding, water shortages, urban heat islands, and the disappearance of natural water bodies. Existing urban infrastructure lacks the capacity to manage water sustainably. There is an urgent need for innovative, nature-based solutions like the sponge city concept to enhance urban water resilience by mimicking natural water absorption, filtration and storag...

The Los Angeles Times article explores whether Los Angeles should adopt the “sponge city” approach to address its persistent flooding problems. Sponge cities use natural systems—such as wetlands, permeable surfaces, and green infrastructure—to absorb, store, and manage stormwater, contrasting with traditional gray infrastructure that quickly channels water away. Given increasing rainfall intensity due to climate change, sponge city strategies offer multiple benefits including flood reduction, gr...

Imagine a city that embraces rain. Instead of flooded streets, water soaks into green spaces. Climate change brings heavier downpours, overwhelming old drainage systems. But a fresh idea, sponge cities, offers hope. These cities work with nature to manage rainwater, curb floods, and make urban life better. From Auckland to Shanghai, let’s explore how this approach builds stronger, greener cities.

Few names in contemporary landscape architecture resonate as profoundly as Yu Kongjian. The most recent winner of the prestigious Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize—a distinction on a par with the Pritzker Prize in architecture and accompanied by a US$100,000 award—Yu has been recognised for his groundbreaking contributions to ecological urbanism. His ability to merge ecology with cutting-edge urbanism has led to transformative interventions in cities worldwide, ...

Reimagining the Flow of Nature: Sponge Cities and a Resilient Planet