Recently, exciting news arrived from the international architecture community: the “Fenhe River Main Stream (Qingxu Section) Dike Top Road and Adjacent Areas Comprehensive Management Project”, co-designed by a team from TYUT’s Architectural Design and Research Institute and the College of Architecture and Art, including teachers Gao Jing and Feng Yaru, has been successfully selected for the China Pavilion of the UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 (Barcelona), thanks to its outstanding ecological value, forward-looking design concept, and profound humanistic care. This signifies that TYUT’s innovative practices in ecological restoration and sustainable development have earned authoritative international recognition, serving as a vivid example of Shanxi’s stepping onto the world stage.
Located in Qingxu County, the project spans 19.6 kilometers and covers an area of 189.82 hectares. Addressing issues such as sparse vegetation and damaged dike roads, the project team introduced three innovative strategies: constructing a 19.6-km continuous ecological corridor to improve saline-alkaline soils, and restore migratory bird pathways; reviving farmland ecological functions by introducing native tree species such as poplar and goldenrain tree to form carbon-sequestering plant communities; and adhering to a sustainable management model with low human intervention and maintenance costs. During the design process, TYUT’s team fully utilized localized ecological wisdom combined with modern technological methods. Rooted in the national strategy for ecological protection and high-quality development of the Fenhe River Basin, the project not only effectively restored the natural vitality of the riparian zone but also ingeniously integrated Shanxi’s cultural elements into the landscape design. It transformed the barren river beach into a comprehensive ecological corridor integrating flood control safety, ecological restoration, landscape leisure, and cultural heritage, making the project a beautiful window to tell Shanxi’s stories and showcase China’s wisdom in water management.
The UIA World Congress of Architects is hailed as the “Olympics of Architecture” and stands as the world’s premier academic and design event in architecture. The selection of this project for a top-tier international platform represents a benchmark achievement of TYUT in serving local economic and social development and practicing the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” It showcases to the world TYUT’s strong capabilities and leading position in the fields of urban-rural ecological planning and environmental design. It marks another significant breakthrough in TYUT’s “Double First-Class” initiative. This achievement has not only enhanced TYUT’s influence in international architecture circles but also provided a replicable “TYUT Solution” and “Shanxi Model” for ecological restoration projects in Shanxi and across the nation. In the future, Taiyuan University of Technology will continue to leverage its disciplinary and talent advantages, contributing more wisdom and efforts to a beautiful China of harmony between humanity and nature.
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