The International Society for Design Sciences Posthumously Awards Professor Yu Kongjian the ‘International Design Education Achievement Award’
On 27 September 2025, at the inaugural International Design Sciences Conference held in Shanghai, the International Society for Design Sciences posthumously conferred the ‘International Design Education Achievement Award’ upon the distinguished landscape architect and Dean of Peking University's School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Professor Yu Kongjian. This honour recognises his outstanding contributions to international landscape design education and his profound impact on the advancement of global design sciences. Professor Yu tragically passed away on 23 September (local time) while conducting ecological research in Brazil. Dean of the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Peking University, posthumously with the International Design Education Achievement Award. This honours his outstanding contributions to international landscape architecture education and his profound impact on the advancement of design science globally.
The International Design Education Achievement Award, established by the International Society for Design Sciences, honours pioneers who have dedicated themselves to design education, driving global design science advancement through theoretical innovation and practical leadership. Since its inaugural presentation in 2019, the award has been positioned as the highest accolade in international design education, focusing on two core dimensions: groundbreaking contributions to design education philosophy and system development, and the substantive impact of such achievements on industry progress and societal advancement. As an internationally recognised eminent landscape architect and educational pioneer, Yu Kongjian has consistently defined urban and landscape design as ‘the art of survival’. He pioneered the aesthetic philosophy of returning to natural ecology, establishing a comprehensive educational framework spanning theory, pedagogy and practice, thereby charting an ecological course for global landscape design education.
This award was previously conferred posthumously upon Professor Hartmann, former Dean of the Faculty of Design at the Bauhaus University Weimar. Professor Yu Kongjian's joint honour with Professor Hartmann not only signifies the award's recognition of exemplary figures across distinct design disciplines but also affirms Professor Yu's unique standing within the global design education community.
In its citation, the International Society for Design Science specifically noted: ‘Through his “ecology-first” educational innovation, Professor Yu Kongjian elevated landscape design from a “tool for beautification” to an “art of survival assurance”. His philosophy and practice have not only reshaped the landscape of Chinese design education but also provided a Chinese educational solution for the global response to ecological crises.’ This posthumous honour not only represents the highest recognition of his lifelong educational contributions but also establishes a benchmark for ecological transformation in global design education.
Professor Chen Pu, Vice-President of ISDS and Professor at IU International University of Applied Sciences in Germany, remarked: ‘This is an extremely necessary and deeply respectful arrangement; it is not merely the posthumous conferral of an award, but a memorial to Professor Yu's tragic passing!’
The International Society for Design Science (ISDS) is a global academic organisation in the field of design science, established in 2006 through the joint initiative of universities, design institutions, and senior researchers worldwide. Its inaugural president was Professor John P. Shackleton of the University of Glasgow, UK.
Edited by Zhu Liangliang
