On the morning of April 19th, the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development and the School of Architecture and Urban Planning of Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture (BUCEA) jointly held the debut ceremony of Beijing Urban Planning (1949-1960) and the academic seminar on the 70th anniversary of the first edition of Beijing’s Urban Master Plan. The book Beijing Urban Planning (1949-1960) is written by Prof. LI Hao which, for the first time, systematically studies the history of Beijing urban planning in the early years sincetheestablishment of the People’s Republic of China from the perspective of the Soviet experts’ assistance. It is the first monograph in China that studies the activities of Soviet experts’ assistance to China’s urban planning, filling the blanks in the study of the urban planning history of China, as well as Beijing.

BUCEA holding the debut ceremony of Beijing Urban Planning (1949-1960) and the academic seminar on the 70th anniversary of the first edition of Beijing’s Urban Master Plan

Dozens of leading experts and scholars in the field of urban planning and relevant personnel from the Institute of Science and Technology Development, School of Architecture and Urban Planning and School of Humanities of BUCEA, together with the following guests attended the event, including: Mr. MA Guoxin, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and the Chief Architect consultant of Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co., Ltd. (BIAD), Mr. CHEN Weibang, former Chief Planner of Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China, former Vice Chairman of Urban Planning Society of China, and former Vice Chairman of Chinese Society for Urban Studies, Mr. TANG Kai, Chairman of China Association of City Planning and former Chief Planner of Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. LIU Rengen, former Vice President of China Academy of Urban Planning & Design, Prof. MAO Qizhi, former Associate Dean of School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Prof. CAO Guangzhong, Vice Dean of College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Mr. WANG Yanan, Researcher of Chinese Society of Urban Studies and Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Director of Urban Studies, and Mr. LU Xinzhi, Deputy Chief Editor of China Architecture & Building Press (CABP).

Mr. ZHENG Jingsheng, former deputy mayor of Haidian District, Beijing and former deputy mayor of TianshuiCity, Gansu Province, attended the conference as a special guest.

ZHANG Dayu, President of BUCEA delivering a welcome speech

LU Xinzhi, Deputy Chief Editor of CABP delivering a speech

Unveiling of the new book Beijing Urban Planning (1949-1960)

Mr. ZHANG Dayu, LU Xinzhi, MA Guoxin, CHEN Weibang, TANG Kai, LI Hao together unveiling the book Beijing Urban Planning (1949-1960) at the debut ceremony

New book donation of Beijing Urban Planning (1949-1960)

CABP presenting books to China Architectural Library and Library of BUCEA on site

Mr. LI Hao introducing the research and creation of the new book

Focusing on the practical need of providing historical reflection for capital construction, the team of Prof. LI Hao from the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, BUCEA went to the State Archives Administration of China (SAAC) and the Central Archives, the Beijing Municipal Archives and the Beijing Urban Construction Archives for many times to delveinto a large number of original archival materials, conducted in-depth academic interviews with more than 50 capital urban planners and translators, and systematically compiled the diaries of ZHENG Tianxiang, a former senior leader in charge of urban planning and construction during the first Five-Year Plan period.After years of continuous hard work in the academic field, the book Beijing Urban Planning (1949-1960)was finally completed.

The new book Beijing Urban Planning (1949-1960)

In the seminar on the same day, the experts and scholars at the conference conducted in-depth exchanges and discussions on topics such as the 70th anniversary of the first edition of Beijing’s Urban Master Plan, technical assistance from Soviet experts, and the historical laws of planning, construction and development of the capital.

The book Beijing Urban Planning (1949-1960)received complimentsfrom experts and scholars.