News & Events

On the afternoon of May 9, through the cooperation of the Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Design, and the Shanghai Jiaotong University Institute for Urban Governance, as well as additional associated institutions, the 13th Annual Event for the Promotion of Popular Science during the Month of International Landscape Architecture in Shanghai was held in Xujiahui’s Bao Zhaolong Library

The forum was opened by Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Design Dean Ruan Xing who introduced the Design School’s background. He explained that the school has continuously strengthened cooperation and exchange between professionals and experts domestically and internationally, and advanced efforts towards the betterment of the human community. Dean Ruan explained that many famous cities have been built by—and rely on—water. He said that urban waterfronts increasingly are confronted with the problem of landscape renewal. He expressed his hope that those at the conference could seize the opportunity to together discuss how in the course of revitalization, landscape architecture can promote the development of urban brands, ecological restoration, the passing on of cultural heritage, and social fairness.

Vice President of Shanghai Jiaotong University Xu Xuemin presented Professor James Hayter—who also serves as the chair of the International Federation of Landscape Architects（IFLA）—with a letter of appointment as a guest professor. She also welcomed the honored guests on behalf of Shanghai Jiaotong University, and wished that the forum proceed smoothly. She also expressed her hope that there would be ways to implement the insights produced by this meeting of experts.

Professor Hayter of the University of Adelaide stated that China is shifting from a manufacturing country to a country of design. As a result, he stated it is necessary to encounter many questions related to the waterfront. He also expressed his opinion that those in China underestimate their impact on the field of landscape architecture internationally, and expressed his hope that an expert from China would organize one of the main topics at the IFLA’s next annual global conference.

Chairman of the Board of Chinese Landscape Architecture Chen Zhong expressed his opintion that landscape architecture should be used in ways to realize the field’s excellence, including in the activation of cities, and the connection of the city to the waterfront. He also stated that since the China Association for Landscape Architecture entered the IFLA in 2005, it has hosted an International Landscape Architecture Month every April as well as a promotion of popular science event.

Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Design Ruan Xing

Vice President of Jiaotong University Xu Xuemin presents Professor James Hayter of the University of Adelaide and the Chair of the International Federation of Landscape Architects with a Letter of Appointment as a Guest Professor 

China's Society for Landscape Architecture Chen Zhong 

Vice Chair of China's Society for Landscape Architecure, and Associate Professor at the Beijing Forestry University Li Xiong 

 Vice Head of the Shanghai Department of Environment and City Appearance Fang Yan

Vice head of China's Society for Landscape Architecture, and Chair of Shanghai's Society of Landscape Architecture Zhou Ruwen 

Original Draft by Zhang Yang, Yu Bingqin and Wang Ling

Photography by Zhou Yuwen and Jun Jingyi

Translation by Abraham Zamcheck