JWACA2025-037: Interview with Mr. Zhang Xianfeng：“listening to your words”

Abstract

This interview recounts Professor Zhang Xianfeng's practical journey in historic city planning, beginning with the 1995 Changshu project. It emphasizes solving the fundamental conflict between conservation and development through spatial strategies, public participation, and nuanced policy formulation. The narrative extends to projects in Dali, Yan'an, and Harbin, illustrating the adaptation of planning principles to diverse regional contexts—from revolutionary sites to colonial-era urban fabric. Zhang reflects on the concept of "cultural genes," advocating for place-specific conservation that protects authenticity, integrates modern needs, and revitalizes historic areas through compatible new functions, while warning against simplistic stylistic imitation.