Fostering an awareness of 20th-century architectural heritage

Xue Ming, chief architect at the China Academy of Building Research, shared how he changed his plan when renovating a 1950s building on Dong'anmen Avenue in Beijing after realizing its heritage value.

"At first, I intended to give it a big facelift. But after I consulted records of its history at the suggestion of the local urban planning authority, I realized that despite a limited budget at that time, the building embodied the architect's technical ingenuity," he said.

Xue then decided to renovate the building using modern techniques while retaining its original appearance. "I'm glad that the building still looks the same to people familiar with it so that it keeps being a place where people can relive their memories," he said.

The veteran architect argued that in addition to architecture professionals, government officials in charge of urban planning and other decision-makers should also develop an awareness of 20th-century architectural heritage to better carry it forward into the future.

Xiang Chuntao, deputy chief engineer of Beijing Shougang International Engineering Co., Ltd, shared that his company has always remained cautious when it comes to tearing down wasted industrial facilities when transforming the Shougang Industrial Park, a 20th-century industrial heritage site, into the vibrant hub of culture and modernity that it is today.

"There are never useless materials in the industry but useless people. We'd rather keep those old facilities, which may be eyesores, than simply bulldozing them until we figure out what to do with them," he stated.

During the event, architecture professors from various universities concurred that China's 20th-century architectural history and heritage protection should be incorporated into the curriculum of architecture-related majors to enable students to better understand the wisdom of Chinese architects, the significance of 20th-century architectural heritage, and its preservation and revitalization.

Zhuang Weimin, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and dean of Architectural Design and Research Institute at Tsinghua University, contended that professors should help students cultivate a discerning eye for 20th-century architectural heritage sites to distinguish them from ordinary old buildings. He also emphasized that when infusing students with 20th-century architectural heritage, it's critical to break it down and enable them to understand its connotation and extension.

The event also featured a keynote speech by Zhuang, who briefly introduced China's Antarctic exploration history, which started in the 1980s, and the design philosophies behind the five research stations that China has built in Antarctica.

He argued that the No.1 Building of the Great Wall Station, China's first research station in Antarctica, which opened in 1985, should be recognized as Chinese 20th-century architectural heritage because its establishment marked the commencement of China's devotion to Antarctic research and it is of great significance in commemorating China's Antarctic expedition.