On October 24, 2024, “60th Anniversary of the Establishment of China-France Diplomatic Relations - Architects Roundtable” was successfully held in Jingdezhen.
With the support of the French Embassy in China, this event was hosted by Tianjin University.
In recent years, the exchanges and cooperation between China and France in the fields of architecture and urban planning have become increasingly active. On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, Tianjin University, with the support of the French Embassy in China, carefully planned this event. The aim is to further promote cultural exchanges between China and France and explore the challenges and opportunities of urban preservation and renewal in the new era.
Jingdezhen, known as the Millennium Ceramic Capital, has been an important medium for cultural exchanges globally through its ceramic products for hundreds of years. After experiencing the pain of the transformation of the ceramic industry at the end of the last century, Jingdezhen has transformed itself through urban renewal in the past decade and has become a representative of successful development in China's creative industry. The Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative Park, as an exemplary work of its urban renewal, has given sustainable new life to dozens of ceramic industrial heritage sites and has become a new landmark of the Millennium Porcelain Capital. Choosing Jingdezhen Taoxichuan as the venue for this roundtable dialogue holds profound significance and inspiration for exchanging practical experiences between China and France in the context of urban history, and for discussing the thinking of architectural and planning development transformation in both countries on-site.
On the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of China-France Diplomatic Ties, this event is themed “Architectural Context and Urban Renewal”, hoping to further promote cultural exchanges between China and France, and to discuss the challenges and opportunities of urban preservation and renewal in China and France in the new era. Prof. Zhang Chunyan from the School of Architecture of Tianjin University, as the convener of this event, invited many Chinese and French parties to visit Jingdezhen, the “thousand-year-old porcelain capital”. As the chief designer of Jingdezhen’s urban renewal for more than 10 years, Professor Zhang Jie from Tsinghua University's School of Architecture was invited to lead the Chinese and French guests to visit the city and share the different experiences of Jingdezhen in dealing with the renewal of old neighborhoods and old factories.
During this event, Chinese and French architects engaged in in-depth exchanges of experiences on the theme of “Architectural Context and Urban Renewal”. The discussions involved the collision of wisdom and viewpoints, as well as the blending of thoughts and spirits. The French guests expressed admiration for the efforts and achievements of Chinese designers, including Zhang Jie, who have been deeply involved in urban renewal in Jingdezhen for over a decade. This dialogue provided an important platform for architects from both China and France to enhance communication and cooperation in urban renewal, which holds significant importance for promoting deeper exchanges and collaborations in the field between the two countries in the future.
By Fan Yize
Editor: Sun Xiaofang
