Urban China Forum 2020: Day 1

7th Urban China Forum: Pandemic Urbanism
China’s Response to COVID-19 and a Post-COVID Future

Please note:

• This event is the first of a two-day conference. Information about the second day is posted here, and the full schedule can be downloaded here. Learn more about the speakers here.
  
• The forum will be live streamed at 8:00 AM on Oct. 10 and 11 in Beijing Time. Columbia students and alumni are invited to register to watch the event live at Columbia Global Centers | Beijing. After the forum, there will be a reception at Columbia Global Centers | Beijing for Columbia GSAPP students and alumni on Oct. 11. Please join to reconnect with friends, make new connections, and share industry insights and experiences with your fellow students and alumni.
  
  

Theme

The forum will revolve around urbanism in the pandemic, discovering multiple aspects of urbanism, from urban design, public space and public health, management, to data and technology, urban resiliency and smart cities. Recognizing the broadness of the planning field, the forum will be joined by scholars and practitioners with various interests to reflect on the past, review the present, and reimagine a post-COVID future.

As the world enters a new era caused by the unprecedented and profound impact of COVID-19 that has challenged ways of inhabitation in almost all dimensions, we see a rising awareness given by planners to reflect on the aspects and even principles of planning, and our ways to engage with the built environment.

China has drawn the world’s attention since the very beginning of this global public health crisis. Chinese cities have been in the center of the discussion, providing public management cases to learn about and contributing to pioneering research that we could explore on. Various topics are of public interest and deserve discussion and exploration, from large-scale national practice led by the government to small steps taken by the society, present and in the future. Hence, the theme of the 7th Urban China Forum is “Pandemic Urbanism: China’s Response to COVID-19 and a Post-COVID Future”.

As young professionals, we are eager to learn about China’s response to the crisis and its relevant studies. We hope to facilitate a multidisciplinary discourse for the forum, explore the responsibilities of planners, and enhance the understanding of Chinese urbanism in this challenging time.

Guest Speakers

Daizong Liu, Director of Sustainable Cities Program, WRI China
Ying Long, Research Professor of School of Architecture, Tsinghua University
Rui Qian, Senior Urban Designer, AECOM Greater China
Lan Wang, Professor of Department of Urban Planning, Tongji University
Zhiqiang Wu, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering; Vice Principal of Tongji University
Qingming Zhan, Professor of School fo Urban Design, Wuhan University

This forum is organized by Urban China Network of Columbia GSAPP and co-sponsored by the M.S. Urban Planning program within Columbia GSAPP, Columbia Global Centers | Beijing, and Weatherhead East Asian Institute.