(event photos below)
Between 2011 and 2013, China used more cement than 20th century America. Today, the nation is home to 60 high-rise towers taller than 300 meters, a feat no other nation can affirm.
This claim to fame, however, is not without its critics. Today, the government seeks a new definition of progress that moves beyond mere vanity projects. Today, sustainable environments that meet the needs of all people are at the forefront of city planning.
When Xi Jinping commented that Xiong’an needed “no towers, no concrete forests, and no glass curtain walls,” he was deliberately challenging the design community to think differently about the future of China’s cities. This comes at a time when technology and innovation have been declared the key to better environments for the country’s inhabitants.
It is against this backdrop that we ask: Can technology and building engineering work together to advance the transformation of tall buildings in China? Join AIA Shanghai for a night of brainstorming and discussion on this important topic.
Date: Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Time: 18:30-20:30
Venue: Haworth Showroom Shanghai
About Liu Enfang
Liu Enfang serves as Vice Chairman of the Architectural Society of Shanghai China. She is also the Architecture Discipline Chief at Arcplus, and Chief Architect & Chief Supervisor at Institute of Shanghai Architectural Design and Research Co., Ltd.
Leading a team of designers in recent years, Liu has been dedicated to the research and practice of strategic holistic design for low-carbon green supertall districts, from an urban design perspective. Her research and practice focus on the creation of public spaces that promote quality urban experience in vertical cities, and advance the discussion of the pivotal role of strategic, holistic regional design in the transformation of urban development. Liu’s projects have received multiple national and Shanghai municipal awards.
About Ross Wimer
Ross Wimer leads AECOM’s national architecture and interiors practice. His projects range from large city planning projects to airport and industrial design spanning 20 cities on five continents. Wimer received his Bachelors degree in architecture from Yale and his Masters from Harvard. After serving his apprenticeship at Gwathmey and Siegel Architects in New York, he spent ten years at SOM New York and SOM Chicago, respectively.
Wimer’s notable projects include Changi Airport, Penn Station, the World Trade Center, Infinity Tower in Dubai, and the White Magnolia Plaza in Shanghai. His projects have been published widely and shown at distinguished art exhibitions and institutions such as the Venice Biennale, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. He continues an active relationship with academia as a visiting design critic at Harvard, Yale, USC, UCLA, Sci Arc, Columbia University, and more.
About Aaron Mazeika
Aaron Mazeika is a Structural Engineering Associate Director in the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP (SOM). After completing his university studies, Aaron spent a period of time living and teaching in China, beginning an association with the country that has continued throughout his career at SOM. Aaron has led the Structural Engineering team in the design of over 30 high-rise towers in China.
Notable projects include the New Poly Plaza in Beijing, China, which features the world’s largest cable-net supported glass façade, the 413m tall twisting Al Hamra Tower in Kuwait City, Kuwait, and the 358m tall Greenland Group Suzhou Center currently under construction in Wujiang, China. Current projects include the 600m tall Greenland Nanjing Pukou Supertall, and the 580m tall Greenland Xixian Silk Road International Center.
About Zhu Chuanhai
Zhu Chuanhai is Technical Director of Technology Management and Product R&D Department at Greenland Holding Group Co., Ltd. He oversees Greenland’s Supertall Center, Building Industrialization Initiative, and the company’s Structure Center. Prior to joining Greenland in 2012, Zhu served as Project Design Manager at Zublin International GmbH Civil Engineering & Construction Contractors, and Deputy Chief Engineer at China Resources Land Co., Ltd.
Zhu has managed technical integration for a number of 300+ meter supertall projects, including Nanjing Jiangbei Greenland Center (600m), Greenland Xi'an Silk Road International Center (588m), Kunming Greenland Southeast Asia Center (458m), Greenland Shandong International Finance Center (423m), Wuhan Greenland Guanggu Center (410m), and Hancheng Greenland Center (369m). Other notable projects include Schaeffler Headquarter and R&D Center in Shanghai, the Bound of Bund in Shanghai, and China Resources’ The Mixc project series.