"Sponge City" pioneer Kongjian Yu dies in Brazil plane crash

“Kongjian Yu demonstrated that one person can make a difference,” said TCLF President and CEO, Charles A. Birnbaum, in a statement. “Thanks to his unceasing efforts, the “sponge cities” concept was adopted as national policy in China. Leading by example he unequivocally demonstrated how a landscape architect can change the way a major country sees and acts, and inspired a global movement.”