To further enhance the capital’s urban design quality, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources has launched a series of discussions on urban design. This initiative aims to gather industry elites to explore innovative concepts, methods and drive high-quality urban development in Beijing. Recently, the Symposium on Urban Design and Quality City & “Building Beijing Together” — 2024 Beijing Urban Design Lecture Series took place in Beijing. Organized under the guidance of the Urban Design Branch of the China Engineering & Consulting Association, the event was co-hosted by the Beijing Municipal Institute of City Planning & Design (BMICPD), Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning & Design Institute (THUPDI), Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co., Ltd., and Yuan Ye Awards Urban Design Center, with additional support from Homedale Urban Planning & Architects Co., Ltd. of BMICPD.
This event gathered distinguished experts and scholars from urban planning, architectural design, and landscape design. Through discussions and exchanges, they shared leading-edge ideas and practical experiences, contributing their expertise to the high-quality development of urban construction in the capital. The event not only served as a platform for industry learning but also infused new vitality and creativity into the urban design of the capital, establishing a robust foundation for ongoing high-quality development.
Shi Xiaodong, Party Group Member, Chief Planner, and Director of the BMICPD, gave a keynote speech. He emphasized that enhancing living standards is a common goal among planners, architects, and landscape designers, and a universal aspiration. Urban design has existed since ancient times and has played crucial roles throughout various historical periods and across different regions. As both a practice and a concept, urban design facilitates the harmonious integration of various urban elements, thus continually improving urban quality. For Beijing, a city profoundly shaped by its historical and ongoing commitment to urban design, this concept is flourishing with numerous fine achievements.
The Commission has always leveraged urban design, especially in key urban areas, to improve construction, usage, and operational standards. This exchange event is expected to broaden perspectives for future urban design projects, significantly contributing to Beijing’s high-quality development.
Xu Congyi, Chief Planner and Deputy Chief Architect of the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co., Ltd., presented on the “Full-Process Practice of Urban Design in the Lize Financial Business District.” He emphasized that urban design should consistently focus on design research, engineering practice, and execution management, highlighting its pivotal role in the development of complex functional urban zones.
Wu Kejie, Director of the Institute of Public Space and Art at the Beijing Municipal Institute of City Planning & Design, made a keynote speech titled “Leading High-Quality Development with Garden City Construction in the Capital.” He explored the significance of garden city construction in Beijing from both a megacity and national capital perspective, emphasizing it as a strategic model for harmonious urban living and a key component of building a Beautiful China. Beijing’s history of urban development, according to Wu, is intrinsically linked to its history of garden construction. The city’s ancient planning principles – choosing sites by mountains, designing around water, and flourishing through gardens – have guided its development. This millennium-old capital has always embodied the principles of ecological civilization and natural aesthetics, with its growth paralleling the expansion of both its urban and garden landscapes.
The “garden city” concept in the new era places greater emphasis on cultural sensitivity and the quality of life, focusing on human-centric development. Therefore, Beijing’s Garden City program will prioritize capital characteristics, accessibility, and feasibility. It aims to enhance residents’ sense of gain, happiness, and security, thereby advancing the high-quality development of Beijing.
Yun Shuang, Deputy Director of THUPDI, made a keynote speech titled “Urban Planning Transformation Practices Aimed at High-Quality Development.” Facing the evolving needs of the era, urban planning must maintain its commitment to spatial management, people-centered values, and the foundational goals of enhancing life quality, justice, public policy, and governance capacity. By sharing examples from planning at different scales in Beijing’s sub-center, Yun stressed the importance of an execution-focused, adaptable approach to planning.
The 2024 “Building Beijing Together” series will continue to prioritize urban design quality through its ongoing lecture series, steering the capital toward sustained high-quality development.
