Architects attending the Sino-French Architectural Forum in Beijing on Thursday shared opinions on city and architectural development in China.

"We need to negotiate the relationship between tradition and innovation," said Zhang Yu, vice president of the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD).

Zhang said government officials and architects should pay more attention to protecting the regional character of China's city planning.

Since 1982, China has classified 99 cities as 'historic cities,' but most of them are losing their distinctive ancient features in urban reconstruction and real estate development. Many ruins and ancient streets risk being demolished.

In Beijing, the 'hutongs' or alleys, which make the traditional framework of a Chinese city, are disappearing at a rate of 600 per year.

Liu Kaiji, consultative architect with the BIAD, supported Zhang's opinion by taking Beijing as an example.

"People in other countries love Beijing for its traditional architecture, such as the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. Any building is part of the city ... and must be consistent with its context," he said.

China Daily reported today that more than 20 cultural heritage sites in Beijing, including the 700-year-old Confucian Temple and adjacent Imperial College, are currently being renovated.

The capital's soon-to-be-completed China National Opera House, designed by French architect Paul Andreu, has sparkled fierce controversy in China.

Opponents have criticized its daring and contemporary design, saying it is out of tune with its surroundings and overshadows the Great Hall of the People.

Bertrand Lemoine, member of the Association of French Export Architects, said taking account of a building's surroundings is a priority for French architecture, and French architects working in China are also trying to learn more about traditions here.

He said China's urban development has followed an 'American pattern' characterized by very tall buildings at large intervals. He recommended a 'French pattern' of continuous and relatively low buildings.

"The latter model, which can provide good light during the day and abundant public space, is more suitable for China's cities," he said.

Wu Liangyong, veteran of both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Academy of Engineering of China, said Chinese architects should learn from their French counterparts in terms of cultural and scientific tastes, spirit of the times and creativity.

In addition, Zhang, proposed an aim of "economic architectural design" for Chinese cities.

According to Zhang, out of 14 billion square meters of buildings in cities across the country, only 320 million square meters are economically designed and built in terms of use of resources. The rest, accounting for about 95 percent, are energy-guzzling.

"We must build houses that consume energy with high efficiency. At the same time, the quality of construction should be ensured," he said.
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(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2005)