Zhuang Weimin, “Lever Social Change in China Through Design – Teaching, Research and Practice”

Please join us for an early evening lecture by Chinese architect Zhuang Weimin.

As China is undergoing unprecedented large-scale urbanization, architecture is becoming an increasingly important realm, influencing China’s and the world’s social, economic and cultural development. The core of Habitat and Environmental Science is the “Trinity” of architecture, urban and rural planning, and landscape architecture. It is also a blend of other disciplines and the use of general thinking to form an open system of human settlements and environmental sciences. We combine the critical academic atmosphere with real-world issues that arise from the current process of rapid urbanization. Design is undoubtedly a creation, which will profoundly change the environment of our society and human habitation.

Some designs such as the Xiongan-New Metropolitan Zone development, the Jing-jin-ji metropolitan region, Antarctic research center, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Post-disaster reconstruction, Master plan for Beijing Olympic Bid etc. will be introduced in the lecture. As the top one school of architecture in China, we are rethinking the future: Curating of new value, Formation of hypothesis, Reconstruction of reasons, Testing theories.

Dr. Weimin Zhuang, architect and educator, is the Dean of the School of Architecture Tsinghua University and Professor of Design. His work focuses on Architectural design and method theory and architectural programming. He is also the director and chief architect of the Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University. Dr. Zhuang has received many awards and accolades over the years: He was awarded a Chinese national scholarship to be a visiting scholar to Chiba University in Japan; he won an Asian Cultural Council Fellowship as well as the Architectural Education Prize ASC. As the Dean and professor of the School of Architecture at Tsinghua University, he serves on the Member of the 10th (2014-2019) Academic Committee of Tsinghua University. He serves as Vice President of the Architectural Society of China (ASC), and as member of the National Architecture Education Evaluation Committee. He is also a councilor of the International Union of Architects (UIA), the co-director of the Professional Practice Committee of UIA and serves on the PPC steering committee, and is Rotating Secretary general of APEC Architect Project Monitoring Committee in 2018.

Dr. Zhuang is a typical example of a contemporary Chinese architect adopting the holistic approach. His work of publications include Architectural Programming and Design, DZONGS IN SNOW LAND –The Post-disaster reconstruction，The Design Principles and Practice of Architecture Ecology-Oriented Integrated Skin, UIA Accord on Recommended International Standards of Professionalism in Architectural Practice, etc., as well as more than a hundred published academic papers.

He was chief architect of the National Art Museum of China renovation project, Swimming and Diving Center for the World Universiade, Shooting Range Hall, Gymnasium of Judo & Taekwondo for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Mt. Huashan Visitor Center, JINSHA Relics Museum, National Center for Exhibition and Convention (co-design). Among his projects, the Mt. Huashan Visitor Center was given Honorable Mention by ARCASIA Awards of AAA 2014. And Jinsha Relics Museum was given FIDIC Project Award of 2014 Honorable Mention. In 2004, he was given the RIBA Diverse City Competition Prize in Beijing, China.

He was also invited to participate many professional exhibitions such as The 27th UIA Congress Exhibition –”Fusing & Harmony” Contemporary Chinese Architecture, Seoul 2017, The 25th UIA Congress Exhibition –Contemporary Chinese Architecture, Durban, South Africa 2014, “From Beijing to London: Contemporary Chinese Architecture”(RIBA+UED2012.4.12-4.28) Exhibition, London, UK 2012, ”Heart of China – Exhibition of Contemporary Vanguard Chinese Architecture”, Europalia Art Festival in CIVA, Brussels, Belgium 2009.

Anyone requiring accessibility accommodations should contact the Public Programs Office at (617) 496-2414 or [email protected].

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