Kongjian Yu’s modulated water system offers an answer to the pressing challenges of climate change

Recently, the Beijing-based landscape architect Kongjian Yu became the recipient of the 2023 Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize. The biennial Oberlander Prize includes a $100,000 award and two years of public engagement activities focused on the laureate’s work and landscape architecture more broadly. Yu is the developer of the concept of sponge cities concept for addressing climate change and addressing accelerated urban flooding.

1. Project Statement The Xi'an region has long been acclaimed for the beauty of "Eight Waters Surrounding Chang'an," including rivers such as Bahe, Chanhe, Yuhe, Haohe, Zaohe, Fenghe, Weihe, and Jinghe. The Zaohe River, a primary tributary of the Wei River, traverses the Xi'an High-tech Development Zone, serving as a vital corridor in the area with the highest development intensity between the Yanta District and the High-tech Zone. From 2005 to 2017, the Zaohe River underwent concealed chan...

1. Project Statement The Xi'an region has long been acclaimed for the beauty of "Eight Waters Surrounding Chang'an," including rivers such as Bahe, Chanhe, Yuhe, Haohe, Zaohe, Fenghe, Weihe, and Jinghe. The Zaohe River, a primary tributary of the Wei River, traverses the Xi'an High-tech Development Zone, serving as a vital corridor in the area with the highest development intensity between the Yanta District and the High-tech Zone. From 2005 to 2017, the Zaohe River underwent concealed cha...

October 17, 2023 (Washington, D.C.) – The Cultural Landscape Foundation (“TCLF”) today announced that Beijing-based landscape architect Kongjian Yu is the recipient of the 2023 Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize (“Oberlander Prize”).

1. Project Statement We intend to create a campus full of modern flavor but with great harmony between human and nature. It should reflect the local culture, with its own environmental characteristics, and it must be both economical and practical. In order to achieve that, the principles below are followed during the planning process: design with natural characters; out of the nature, but into the nature. Assembling parts into a whole, architectural distribution is relatively concentrated,...

1. Project Statement We intend to create a campus full of modern flavor but with great harmony between human and nature. It should reflect the local culture, with its own environmental characteristics, and it must be both economical and practical. In order to achieve that, the principles below are followed during the planning process: design with natural characters; out of the nature, but into the nature. Assembling parts into a whole, architectural distribution is relatively concentrated,...

In the extremely dense center of Beijing'Hutong area, a traditional heritage courtyard was renovated and a greenhouse Sponge Well was created to harvest natural light and stormwater from roof. The rain water is reused to cool off the building during the summer and increase the indoor humidity during the dry winter, meanwhile creating a surprising intimate immersive Meta space under ground and within a dense building cluster.

In the extremely dense center of Beijing'Hutong area, a traditional heritage courtyard was renovated and a greenhouse Sponge Well was created to harvest natural light and stormwater from roof. The rain water is reused to cool off the building during the summer and increase the indoor humidity during the dry winter, meanwhile creating a surprising intimate immersive Meta space under ground and within a dense building cluster.

Le Sponge Cities, o città spugna, sono un nuovo modello di pianificazione urbana che si propone di rendere le città più resilienti agli eventi climatici estremi, come le inondazioni e la siccità.