Under the heme of Shan-shui City and Regional Construction in China: Interdisciplinary Studies between Geological Sciences and Architecture, the 378th session of the Xiangshan Science Conferences (XSSC) convened in Beijing from June 22 to 24.
Since China adopted the policy of reform and opening to the outside world, its urban and regional construction has advanced by leaps and bounds. While urbanization shows a trend of high-speed growth and a dynamic scene of construction, it has also brought about a variety of ˇ°urban diseases.ˇ± Due to the ignorance of the concept emphasizing eco-environment preservation while building an artificial environment as well as a philosophy of systems engineering, the country is facing such acute problems as the harmonious development between natural and artificial environments while making plans, designing and construction for cities and regions.
The Shan-shui (literally mountain and river) City Concept was first conceived by CAS Member Qian Xuesen (Tsien Hsue-shen, 1911-2009) on the basis of mutual complementarity of the East and West cultures, the integration of science and arts, as well as an open complex giant system of the systems science. The idea, which embodies remarkable Chinese elements, advocates that cities and surrounding areas should form a harmonious relationship with mountains and rivers (i.e., nature).
With the support of XSSC, many symposia on cities and regions have convened, making contribution to the progress of China's urban and regional development. However, no such symposium has been held on Shan-shui City Concept, and studies on the methodology, basic theories and technological approaches in this regard are far from being satisfactory. Due to profound impact of the financial crisis on urban and regional development, China's urban development may undergo a new and dramatic structural change and adjustment in terms of economic geology. Therefore, it is necessary to further strengthen the exchanges between geological science and architecture.
The objectives of the 378th Session of Xiangshan Science Conferences were to promote the development of Qian's theory about "geological sciences" and "architecture sciences" in modern science and technology, advance interdisciplinary studies in this regard, lay a theoretical foundation for the sustainable development of China's cities, and regions, and advance the concept of ecological preservation in urban and regional development. Experts and scholars from various disciplines were invited to have in-depth discussions on: (1) ecological civilization: harmonious development between natural and man-made environments; (2) systems engineering of city/regional planning, designing, and construction; (3) an artificial environment and artificial systems engineering.
Executive Co-chairs:
ZHOU Ganchi, professor, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development
MA Ainai, professor, Peking University
BAO Shixing, professor, Chinese Society for Urban Studies
Keynote Review Reports
Ecological Civilization: Problems Facing Urban Development and Countermeasures (by QIU Baoxing)
City/Region: A Typical Open Complex Giant System (by ZHOU Ganchi)
Review Reports on Central Topics
Harmonious Development of Natural and Artificial Environments (by MA Ainai)
QIAN Xuesen's framework for Architecture Science (by BAO Shixing)
Theories and Methodologies for Sciences of Human Settlements (by WU Liangyong)
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