The Cultural Landscape Foundation Mourns the Tragic Passing of Kongjian Yu, Global Champion of the “Sponge Cities” Concept and 2023 Winner of the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize
Media Contact: Nord Wennerstrom | T: 202.483.0553 | M: 202.255.7076 | E: nord@tclf.org
Washington, D.C. (September 24, 2025) – The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF), a Washington, D.C.-based education and advocacy nonprofit, issued the following statement upon the news that Kongjian Yu, the Beijing-based landscape architect and founder of Turenscape, has died in a plane crash in Brazil on Tuesday evening, September 23, 2025, according to Reuters.
“Kongjian Yu was the global champion of the ‘sponge cities’ concept, a global ambassador for the profession of landscape architecture, and a global advocate for addressing the effects of climate change,” said Charles A. Birnbaum, President & CEO of TCLF. “Only two years ago he was awarded the biennial Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize, which is bestowed on a recipient who is “exceptionally talented, creative, courageous, and visionary.” The Oberlander Prize Jury Citation noted he is a “brilliant and prolific designer … [who] is also a force for progressive change in landscape architecture around the world.”
Birnbaum added, “Kongjian Yu demonstrated that one person can make a difference. 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.”
About The Cultural Landscape Foundation
The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1998 to connect people to places. TCLF educates and engages the public to make our shared landscape heritage more visible, identify its value, and empower its stewards. Through its website, publishing, lectures, and other events, TCLF broadens support and understanding for cultural landscapes. TCLF is also home to the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize.
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NOTE: In this short introductory video from 2023 Oberlander Prize Laureate Kongjian Yu describes the remarkable trajectory of his life, from a rural village of only 500 people, to the champion of the "sponge cities" concept for addressing climate change accelerated urban flooding, which was adopted as national policy in China in 2013. Yu discusses how the time-tested water management and irrigation systems in his village influenced his holistic design approach, which embraces nature and culture. His work and ideas are inspiring officials, urban planners, and decision makers worldwide.
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