Although many scholars have researched and underscored the importance of Chinese architects during China’s evolution during the 20th century, the role of female architects in this process is scarcely known. With the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design announcing the award of a posthumous Bachelor of Architecture degree to Lin Huiyin, a seminal figure in Chinese architecture, the significant and yet long-overlooked role of women in this field has once again been brought to our attention. In this conversation, renowned architects Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, alongside Yu Kui, Lin Huiyin’s granddaughter, will engage in an in-depth conversation about the significant contributions of Chinese women to architecture and China’s national history over the last century. 

Hosted by Harvard FAS CAMLab, this seminar offers onsite access exclusively to CAMLab members and is open to the public online via Zoom livestream. Pre-registration is required for Zoom.

The seminar will be conducted in Mandarin.

Guests: 

Wang Shu, a distinguished architect and Head of the School of Architecture, China Academy of Art, has made significant contributions to the field. In 2011, he held the Kenzo Tange Visiting Professorship in Architecture at Harvard University. In 2012, he was honored with the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Wang was named as a foreign member of the French Academy of Architecture for 2023.

Lu Wenyu, an architect of renown and Director of the Research Center of the School of Architecture, China Academy of Art. She co-founded Amateur Architecture Studio with Wang Shu in 1997. Together, they have spearheaded numerous projects with global impact. Lu was named as a foreign member of the French Academy of Architecture for 2023.

Yu Kui, the granddaughter of Lin Huiyin and Liang Sicheng, is actively engaged in promoting their legacies.

Zhang Qin: Research Associates, Harvard FAS CAMLab and Fairbank Center, Harvard University.  Author of The Solitary Traveler in the Long Night and The Allied Architects in the War.