Even in his 80s, Professor Peng Yigang still took his students to field for site inspection. In the electronic age, he still insisted on hand-sketched designs and modified student works by himself.

Professor Peng Yigang, the member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences as well as the national architectural design master, has fostered many masters at Tianjin University (TJU). Among the students he trained, there are two academicians: Cui Kai, a member of Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Duan Jin, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; and four "National Engineering Survey and Design Masters" Cui Kai, Zhou Kai, Li Xinggang and Zhang Pengju.

Early in the morning of October 23, 2022, Peng passed away peacefully companied by his family and students at the age of 90.

Devote his whole life to education for a better world

Mr. Peng has devoted his whole life to theoretical research and practice of architectural aesthetics and creation. He was born in 1932 in Hefei, Anhui Province. Then he was enrolled in the Department of Architectural engineering of Northern Jiaotong University, which was merged into TJU. He also designed the splendid roof of the ninth teaching building of the university.

After graduation, Peng started teaching in the School of architecture of TJU in April 1953, where he worked for nearly 70 years.

He fostered and educated many outstanding talents. Five of the top ten young Chinese architects in the world in 2007 are his students. Tianjin university graduates played a crucial role in the construction of venues for 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Cui Kai, Duan Jin, Zhou Kai, Li Xinggang, Fu Shaohui, all of these famous masters in architecture field are students of Peng Yigang.

Lay a solid foundation for cultivating masters

On November 20, 2021, a Weibo post saying "the design manuscript of a 90-year-old academician" drawn attention of the public. Peng’s four manuscripts are the preliminary design of Tai Lei Square of the Peiyangyuan campus of TJU. He spent only two hours finishing the one with the sculpture of the portrait which represents his profound skills.

Peng Yigang attaches great importance to undergraduate education and developing students' basic skills. The secret is "teaching by personal example as well as verbal instruction". Peng always says, "One can correct others only when he corrects himself first."

His students inherited two important characteristics: first, they always have creative ideas in their design; second, they have solid basic skills, both of which are necessary to be an excellent designer.

Inherit Chinese architectural culture

Peng's masterpieces have been widely published, and many of them have won national book awards, including "Theory of Architectural Space Combination" and "Analysis of Classical Chinese Gardens", which have exerted a wide impact on the architectural community both at home and abroad. His books have been reprinted many times to present the beauty of Chinese architecture to the world.

Dedicated to the research work of architectural theory and the practical activities of architectural creation, Peng is a beacon of light for many Chinese architects. He has been awarded the highest award in architecture, the Liang Sicheng Architecture Prize and the China Architectural Education Award. In 2019, he was awarded the Outstanding Person in Survey and Design Industry on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Cultivate sensitivity to beauty with a tender heart

Peng's home is filled with warmth and sunshine. On one side of the house is a wall of books he loves. On the other side is a model display, a model of a simulated ship that he polished and colored by hand.

"Whether in architectural design or disciplinary research, one needs to have a certain cultural and artistic literacy. I often bring students to appreciate outstanding architectural design works worldwide, with the aim of cultivating a keen sense of beauty in their heart." said Peng.

Every year in May and June, the students of the School of Architecture are busy with design assignments. At this time, you can always see a silver-haired old man stopping, thinking and commenting in front of drawings and models, he is Peng Yigang, a master in the School of Architecture of Tianjin University.

By: Hou Shuangning

Editor: Qin Mian