Most architects look to control nature; Kongjian Yu wants it to take over.Intense storms are on the rise and cities across the world are finding it difficult to cope with deluges of floodwater. But instead of using high-tech, concrete-based engineering solutions to defend against the vagaries of the climate crisis, the Chinese landscape architect and urban planner lets nature do the work.

Recently, heavy rainfall caused flash flooding in Montréal and Toronto, prompting engineers to seek new solutions. Kongjian Yu's "Sponge Parks" concept addresses this by using specially designed green spaces to absorb and manage stormwater, with several already implemented in Montréal and plans for expansion. These parks help mitigate the impact of heavy rains and improve environmental quality. Similarly, "bioswales" are being used to manage runoff and enhance urban green spaces, demonstrating i...

Kongjian Yu's "sponge city" concept uses Nature Based Solution, inspired by rice terraces, to manage rainwater and reduce flooding in cities with heavy rains. His projects, like Yanweizhou Park and Shanghai Houtan Park, show that using soil and greenery can lower flood risks and clean water.

Kongjian Yu is principal designer at Turenscape, the Beijing-based landscape and urbanism firm he founded in 1998, and dean of the Graduate School of Landscape Architecture at Peking University. He also founded and runs the Turenscape Academy, a non-accredited, hands-on program focused on rural regeneration and located in a small town in Anhui Province. With more than 500 employees, Turenscape has become a powerhouse firm that has designed and built nearly a thousand projects in China and around...

COMO, CO, ITALY, August 5, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The A' Design Award, a highly respected and well-recognized award in the field of landscape design, has announced Benjakitti by Arsomsilp and Turenscape as the Gold winner in the Landscape Planning and Garden Design category. This prestigious recognition highlights the significance of Benjakitti's innovative and sustainable design within the landscape design industry.

1．Project Statement Changbai Mountain Jianshui River National Wetland Park is located in the southeast of the Chibei District in the Changbai Mountain Protection and Development Zone, Jilin Province, and serves as an important gateway to Changbai Mountain. The service center project is located at the southwest corner of the Jianshui River National Wetland Park, acting as the main entrance of the park. The building is adjacent to the wetland natural recovery area on the north and south sides...

The Manila Central Park design competition is currently underway. This competition challenges participating designers to conceive a park that will represent a remarkable and sustainable example of urban development for the Philippines. The park aims to be a visual and cultural beacon for Manila, enhancing connectivity and offering a cohesive urban experience that draws visitors from across the city. The winning project will be unveiled at the World Architecture Festival in Singapore in November ...

1. Project Statement The project is located within the Dahaidao International Adventure Park in Hami, Xinjiang, China. This area features unique Yadan landforms, with an extremely arid climate characterized by frequent sandstorms. The design centers around greenhouse spaces as the core of an ecological system cycle, drawing inspiration from cutting-edge technologies related to Mars colonization and space farming. The aim is to explore future human survival methods, creating a desert oasis f...

1. Project Statement The project is located within the Hami Dajiao International Adventure Park in Xinjiang, China, which is the only legally permissible uninhabited zone for exploration. The climate is harsh, and the Yadan landforms are well-preserved, offering rich pterosaur fossil resources. The design inspiration comes from the spiral of life's evolution, aiming to encounter life from billions of years ago through the spiral of life, and to recreate the thriving Eden of pterosaurs. Cons...

Peking University and Turenscape Sign Global Action for Swimmable Cities