CHSLA Delegate Feature: Zheng Xiaodi

ZHENG Xiaodi, Ph.D., RLA, ASLA, CHSLA, is associate professor, vice chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture, co-director of the International Affairs Office, and founding director of the Center for Brownfields Research at Tsinghua University School of Architecture. She serves as General-Secretary of Chinese Steering Committee of Landscape Architecture Education and is the official delegate of the Chinese Society of Landscape Architecture (CHSLA) at the International Federation of Landscape Architects Asia-Pacific Region (IFLA-APR) council.

Additionally, “green louvers” are developed by integrating the exterior eco-louver aluminium material with vegetation in order to let natural light in while screening the interior where there is too much direct sunlight. The plants also absorb air pollutants while collecting and releasing fresh air to be circulated around the building by using eco-cylinders and floor space to facilitate natural air flow. Solar panels are installed on the rooftop, allowing a harvest of approximately 40mW of energy annually, allowing the building to meet its annual target of 55% decrease in energy consumption.

She received her Ph.D. and B.Arch. from Tsinghua University and MLA from the GSD at Harvard University. Before returning to China in 2008, she worked with OLIN and SWA Group in the United States, and is a Registered Landscape Architect in Pennsylvania, USA. Her current research focuses on brownfields regeneration and sustainable landscape, as well as campus landscape planning and design. She has published in both Chinese and English professional journals, including Topos, Chinese Landscape Architecture, LA+, Architectural Journal, Environmental Engineering, China City Planning Review, Landscape Architecture Frontiers, and Beijing Planning Review etc.

Her dissertation entitled Landscape Strategies for Brownfield Regeneration based on the Concept of “Brown Earth-Work” won the First Prize of Excellent Dissertation Award at Tsinghua University. She also taught or gave lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, China Academy of Art, Nanjing University, South China University of Technology etc., and instructed international workshops in the USA, Japan, Italy and Spain. Mrs. Zheng received the Junior Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award at Tsinghua University in 2014. In 2015, she won the First Prize at Beijing Junior Faculty Teaching Competition, as well as the Most-Welcomed by Students Award, the Best Syllabus Award, and the Best Presentation Award. In 2017, she received the CELA President’s Award by the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture.