Leung Fung Yee Building and Kunkle Student Centre: A Sustainable Gem at CUHK

After WWII, Finland exported thousands of prefabricated wooden houses to reconstruction areas in Poland. 🏠 Our research explores how these modernist housing ideals were received, adapted, and transformed into lasting homes — and what lessons this history can offer for sustainable crisis and post-disaster housing today. Key findings: 🔹 Adaptability mattered — temporary houses became personalised homes because residents could modify and expand them 🔹 Design vs. local culture — Finnish functional interiors differed from Silesian traditions, but over time, homes were reshaped to reflect local identity 🔹 Heritage value — more than 70 years later, many of these houses are still in use, showing how temporary post-crisis housing can evolve into cultural heritage. This work is part of the HoPE project (Housing, Prefabrication and Export: The Architecture of Reconstruction in Times of Crisis), funded by the Koneen Säätiö | Kone Foundation. 👉 https://lnkd.in/d8dFPkgh

Sustainability Takes Centre Stage! The HKU Architecture Gallery recently showcased the innovative exhibition "Bricking Up with Carbon," featuring remarkable projects by our graduating architecture students. This exhibition tackles the pressing issue of construction waste, which constitutes a staggering 70% of Hong Kong's total waste. Visitors were invited to engage hands-on with sustainable design by creating configurable furniture from recycled materials, demonstrating that sustainability starts with what we already have. This exhibition not only highlights the creative talents of our students but also sparks important conversations about responsible design and material reuse. To explore the exhibition's details and see how it's shaping the future of architecture, click and read more with https://lnkd.in/ge-nWcfX. #HKU #KnowledgeExchange #HKUArchitectureGallery #BrickingUpwithCarbon #Sustainability #Innovation #HKUImpact

Green roofs cut microplastics in rainfall by 97.5%, according to a new study from Tongji University. Shanghai alone, with 3.56 million square meter of rooftop greenery, could capture more than 56,000 kg of microplastics annually. We believe Africa can adapt innovative, nature-based solutions like this to build cleaner, more sustainable cities. The future of urban design isn’t just about structures, it’s about creating environments that heal the planet. 🌍✨ #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #ClimateAction #Innovation #Atunlo

𝗔 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗷𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗵𝗶𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 Beijing unveils its largest and most advanced convention destination — the Capital International Exhibition & Convention Centre (CIECC), an architectural marvel designed by @Zaha Hadid Architects. Located in the Shunyi District next to the Capital International Airport, the CIECC spans an impressive 611,000 m², housing: 🔹 9 exhibition halls 🔹 3 reception halls 🔹 A 9,000-seat conference center 🔹 A 410-room hotel A striking north–south axis creates a central courtyard, while elevated bridges ensure seamless connectivity and efficiency for large-scale global events. The design’s flowing copper-toned façade, column-free interiors, and sustainable innovations — from hybrid ventilation and smart building systems to rainwater harvesting and solar energy — make the CIECC a benchmark in eco-conscious mega-architecture. Having earned the highest certification in China’s Green Building Program, this venue embodies Beijing’s rising stature as a hub for commerce, culture, and global exchange. ParametricArchitecture | Zaha Hadid Architects | PAACADEMY #ParametricArchitecture #ParametricDesign #ModernArchitecture #ZahaHadid #China #ConventionCenter #GreenBuilding #SustainableDesign

🌱 From Bali to the world: August highlights with Eco-Mantra 🌱   This month, our team shared insights on regenerative design and sustainable futures across Bali: ✨ At the Tropical Architecture Summer Class by IDB Bali, Hanif Shidki emphasized that tropical design must go beyond aesthetics, embracing resilience, culture, and climate realities. ✨ At Jiwa Garden, Heruanda Alviana reminded us that climate change is no longer distant; it’s here, urging us to design with the land, not against it. ✨ At BaleBio, Hanif Shidki revealed how Life Cycle Assessment shows regenerative design is possible today, with reclaimed materials leading the way. Together, these conversations remind us: regeneration is not theory, it’s practice, happening now.    #Sustainability #RegenerativeDesign #ClimateAction #Architecture

They said, go to #China — the market is big. So in 2017, German architect Sophia Slingerland brought her vision to #Shanghai 🧳, where she found not just opportunity, but the perfect place for her ideas to thrive. Watch the video to see how she incorporates low-carbon solutions into architecture 🏦, showing how ecological responsibility and modern design can come together to shape a more sustainable future ♻️. #InShanghai #ExpatStories

🌿 Nation by Design by Nature: Relational Urbanism and More-than-Human Futures 🌿 Today I had the honour of being invited to speak at the National University of Singapore on how we might reimagine urban futures beyond anthropocentric logics. We explored how relational urbanism and more-than-human design can help co-create cities not just for people, but with the wider web of life to help restoring biodiversity, enabling multispecies justice, and embracing ecological entanglements. A big thank you to my hosts at NUS Division of Industrial Design Jung-Joo Lee, Ching Chiuan Yen, Cees de Bont and to all the attendees both in person and online for such an engaged and thoughtful discussion. This conversation connects closely with Singapore Design Week’s 2025 Design Futures pillar. Find out more about our research work at https://lnkd.in/dgG24NT2 Thank you to the ACM, Association for Computing Machinery’s Distinguished Speakers program for supporting my talk. 🙏💚 #NationByDesign #DesignFutures #MoreThanHuman #UrbanDesign #SDWSG25 #SingaporeDesignWeek DesignSingapore Council

SUSTAINABILITY BEFORE SUSTAINABILITY Long before green buildings and zero-waste design became buzzwords, the villages of Pulga and Nakthan in Himachal Pradesh were already living those values. Their timber-and-stone Kath-Kuni homes were earthquake-resistant, climate-responsive, and part of a true circular economy. What modern architects chase today was once an instinct for survival. Read Part 3 of my series Carving Stories in Wood: https://lnkd.in/g3B3-stX

. Liuzhou, a city located in southern China, is setting a global benchmark for sustainable living with the launch of the world’s first Vertical Forest City. Designed by renowned architect Stefano Boeri, this groundbreaking project incorporates more than 40,000 trees and over 1 million plants directly into the façades of residential and commercial buildings, effectively transforming the cityscape into a thriving, breathing ecosystem. The ambitious design is expected to absorb nearly 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide and 57 tons of pollutants every year, while also reducing urban noise, regulating temperatures, and fostering local biodiversity. By weaving greenery into its very infrastructure, the city creates a healthier balance between nature and human habitation. Once fully developed, the Vertical Forest City will accommodate around 30,000 residents, offering them a cleaner, greener, and healthier lifestyle compared to conventional urban environments. Liuzhou’s lush and innovative skyline represents more than just striking architecture — it signals a transformative vision for urban development in heavily polluted regions, where cities can evolve into living ecosystems where architecture and nature exist in harmony to shape the future of sustainable living. Follow Us for More News & Tech Updates Reality Pakistan #VerticalForest #liuzhoucity #greenarchitecture #ecourbanism #UrbanInnovation #SmartCities #sustainabledesign #chinagreeninitiative #natureinthesky #China

#Publication Nowadays, sustainability and quality of life are considered two key and interwoven concepts in urban development. All countries strive to improve these two phenomena in order to provide better living conditions for their residents. These two concepts are comprehensively interconnected—some researchers consider them identical, while others define them separately. Our new article, published in the reputable international journal "Architecture MDPI" delves into the deep interrelationship between these two phenomena in urban design and assessment. This research analyzes the importance of these concepts in the three main dimensions of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social, through a comprehensive evaluation of their respective indicators. The result of this study is the presentation of a comprehensive framework for architects and urban designers. This framework, along with the proposed indicators, helps professionals design and create sustainable cities with a high quality of life for residents. Interested readers can access the full version of the article via the following link: https://lnkd.in/dSnARqRX We are grateful to Allah for allowing us to take a small step in serving humanity and professionals in this field through this research.