This October, Tianjin University’s School of Architecture celebrated its 80th anniversary. Friends, alumni, teachers and students gathered together and honored the anniversary in various forms. Yang Wei, associate head of department of architecture who is in charge of international cooperation conducted a research about the cooperation between the University of Minnesota’s School of Architecture and that of Tianjin University and wrote an article on it as an anniversary gift for the school. Below is the article.

Written by: YANG Wei
(Translated by: YU Han-ze, YANG Wei, SUN Lu)

The friendship between the University of Minnesota’s School of Architecture and that of Tianjin University started in 1980. As an alumnus enrolled in 1977, Mr. Cui Kai, an academician of China Academy of Engineering, chief architect and associate head of China Architecture Design and Research Group wrote in his article “My University”:
“Mr. Jing Qimin may be regarded as the pioneer who opened the door of international exchange at School of Architecture, Tianjin University. He went to the University of Minnesota at the beginning of the Reform and Opening-up Policy, and then organized several summer seminars for foreign study for American college students. That was the first time I came into contact with foreigners face to face. During that exchange, I got a better understanding of the architectural education of the United States, improved my English listening and speaking abilities, and became good friends with an American student. We are still maintaining that contact.”

In 1980, Prof. Jing Qimin (alternatively spelled as Ching Chi-men) went to the School of Architecture at the University of Minnesota as the first government-supported visiting scholar majoring in architecture after the Reform and Opening-up. Back then, he was 46 years old and Prof. Ralph Rapson, his host and the renowned head of the UMN School of Architecture, was 66 years old. Prof. Jing had always regarded Prof. Rapson as a mentor and a lifelong friend. “Prof. Rapson drew very well and had done a lot of excellent projects. He was a very accomplished architect,” said Prof. Jing.

Prof. Rapson organized a meeting for Prof. Jing Qi-min shortly after his arrival at UMN. Prof. Jing was immediately recognized and appreciated for his understanding of architecture and outstanding hand drawing skills by his American colleagues upon their first meeting. Later, Prof. Jing presented a successful series of lectures on the topics of Chinese architecture and gardens at UMN (Pic 1) and several other universities in the U.S., including Cornell University and Georgia Tech.

Pic 1 (From left to right) Prof. Jing Qi-min’s certificate as an Chinese alumnus of the University of Minnesota; Poster of Prof. Jing’s lecture on Chinese traditional architecture at the UMN’s campus center; Poster of Prof. Jing’s lecture on Chinese traditional gardens, dwellings, temples and palaces at the UMN School of Architecture and students’ club in 1980

The American colleagues’ warm hospitality left a deep impression on Prof. Jing. Prof. Rapson introduced him to several distinguished American architects, including Kevin Lynch. His UMN colleagues drove him to many places to visit. Prof. Jing believed that these visits contributed largely to the establishment of a wide range of academic links between China and the US, not just an in-depth study in a specific field. The topics of the exchanges included architectural culture and education, as well as social-cultural issues between China and the western world. In September 1981, before Prof. Jing’s return, the School of Architecture, University of Minnesota awarded him the “Distinguished Scholar” certificate (Pic 2). The US-China People’s Friendship Association of Minnesota issued Prof. Jing a certificate, honoring him as “a vital link in the everlasting bridge of friendship between the people of the United States and the People’s Republic of China” (Pic 3).

Pic2 The “Distinguished Scholar” certificate awarded by the UMN School of Architecture, signed by Prof. Ralph Rapson;
Pic3 The “Bridge of Friendship” certificate awarded by the US-China People’s Friendship Association of Minnesota.

Prof. Jing hosted 11 Chinese architecture research workshops from 1981-1992. The first two workshops in 1981 and 1983 invited faculty members and students from the University of Minnesota. The first group of 29 students, led by Professor Ralph Rapson, was also the first time that the New China had invited American teachers and students to study and visit Chinese architecture (Pic 4,5). During their three months’ stay, they studied and plotted ancient Chinese architecture and visited buildings in Beijing, Tianjin, Chengde, Tai'an, Qufu, Xi'an, Suzhou, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuxi, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. The results of the workshop were compiled into a book (Pic 6).

Pic4 Prof. Ralph Rapson lecturing at TJU
Pic5 UMN and TJU students visiting the Qing emperors’ Mountain Resort in Chengde

Pic6Inner pages of the portfolio of the China workshop of UMN hosted by TJU

The faculty members and students from UMN and TJU who participated in the workshops established long-term friendships. The good friend of Academician Mr. Cui Kai mentioned above is Mr. Scott J. Newland, who is the founder and Chief Architect of Newland Architects. In 1981, he came to Tianjin University as a student of the University of Minnesota. He and Mr. Cui Kai visited each other quite often ever since (Pic 7, Pic 8). In 1983, the second group of students from UMN came to visit Tianjin University, including Mr. Jon Buggy, who studied for six months at TJU (Pic 9-10). He is currently principle and chief architect of healthcare design at RSP Architects. In June 2017, when the teachers and students from TJU visited the RSP office, he had a cordial conversation with them.

Pic7 Mr. Scott J. Newland and Mr. Cui Kai (China, 1986; Minneapolis, 2017)
Pic8 Mr. Cui Kai and Mr. Scott J. Newland with a friend in the U.S.

Pic9 Group photo of UMN and TJU students at Tianjin University in 1983
（From the left 3:Lan Jian；4: Zhang Chi；5: Cui Kai；6:Jon Buggy；8:Ye Min）

Pic 10 Jon Buggy and other UMN students playing Tai-Chi at TJU

In 1983, Mr. Zhang Wen-zhong from TJU School of Architecture and Mr. Yue Min-cheng from the Architectural Design Institute of Tianjin University visited the UMN School of Architecture. Later, based on the original drawings of Professor Rapson, they co-authored the book Ralph Rapson: Architect, Furniture designer, and Architectural educator.

Pic11 Cover of the book ‘Ralph Rapson: Architect, Furniture designer, and Architectural educator’, and the picture in the title page (From left: Zhang Wen-zhong, Ralph Rapson, Yue Min-cheng)

In 1987, the TJU School of Architecture hosted an international symposium under the organization of Mr. Jing Qi-min. Ralph Rapson from the UMN, Ohno Ryuzo from Kobe University, Shi Peng-jia (the director of the Association of Johann Adam) from the Aachen University of Applied Sciences and other foreign professors discussed the ‘Traditional Dwellings and Lifestyles’ with the faculty members and students from Tianjin University.

Pic12 Prof. Ralph Rapson, Prof. Ohno Ryuzo with the teachers and students from Tianjin University at the “International Symposium on Traditional Dwelling and Lifestyles” in 1987.
Front row from the second on the left: Ohno Ryuzo, Nie Lansheng, Ralph Rapson, Yuan Yiqian, Hong Zaisheng
Back row: Zhang Chi (the first on the left), Liang Xue (tall man in the middle)

Pic13 Group photo of the guests and TJU’s faculty members and students at the “International Symposium on Traditional Dwelling and Lifestyles” in 1987.

Since the 1990s, the academic exchanges between the two schools became less as Professor Rapson retired. Yet personal contacts were still maintained between the friends.
In 2008, Professor Rapson passed away at the age of 94. Tianjin University School of Architecture sent a message of condolence.

In 2012, Prof. Kong Yuhang, the Associate Dean in charge of international exchange at TJU School of Architecture, met with Prof. Renee Cheng, the head of the UMN School of Architecture, during her visit to our school. They talked about the history of the cooperation between the two schools and proposed to hold a joint studio as a new starting point. Therefore, in May 2013, Prof. Marc Swackhamer and Prof. Blaine Brownell from the UMN School of Architecture visited TJU and carried out the “Hypernatural Architecture” workshop （Pic15, Pic16） with professors Liu Conghong, Yang Wei and Sun Lu from our school. The topic was integrated in the thematic design studios for the third and fourth-year undergraduate students. This studio’s main method was to learn from the principles of biology, and then develop creative architectural design solutions. During the seven days of the visit, the two professors lectured on biomimicry design, diagramming, digital fabrication and building material, and guided the students to study biological prototypes and propose conceptual programs. Several students’ works of this workshop won prizes in international and domestic competitions.

Pic14 Student work from the “Hypernatural Architecture” workshop: Walking in the lost, by Mu Yuyangguang

Pic15 Student work from the “Hypernatural Architecture” workshop, Wetland Evolution, by Liu Bo, Zhang Wenbo

From May to June in 2014, two professors (Andrea Johnson and Diane Willow) and several students from UMN and the professors and students from Tianjin University and Southeast University carried out the Dashilan Art and Design Workshop in Beijing. The professors leading the team from TJU were Xuzhen, Yuan Sinan, and Sheng Qiang. The final review was completed at Tianjin University. Participants in the workshop were mainly graduate students. The outputs of the workshop were art and space installations. The students got a new experience that was different from conventional architectural design training.
From Jul. 2014 to Jan. 2015, Mr. Gu Zhihong, the Associate Chief Architect of Tianjin University Research Institute of Architectural Design & Urban Planning, visited UMN School of Architecture, and gave presentations at UMN and RSP Architects during his stay. His visit was organized by Mr. Brian Chang, GM of the RSP Architects China, who was acquainted with Prof. Hong Zai-sheng (head of the TJU Architectural Design Institute) and his colleagues through project cooperation in 2006.

In 2016, Professor Marc Swackhamer, the new head of UMN School of Architecture visited TJU School of Architecture and the TJU Research Institute of Architectural Design & Urban Planning to discuss academic exchanges and cooperation. Mr. Brian Chang accompanied him on the visit. 

From May to June 2017, professors Blaine Brownell, Marc Swackhamer, and Diane Willow led the UMN students to work with TJU professors (Yang Wei and Sun Lu) and students to carry out a joint design workshop. It reopened the exchange visits between TJU and UMN students. During the cooperation, students received an understanding of the dedication and thinking in architectural education of both schools, and learnt about the differences of thoughts and methods between the two schools (or maybe between the two countries), which would contribute to TJU’s teaching reform.

Pic16 Teachers and students are discussing projects in the graduate students’ design studio of the UMN School of Architecture

In October 2017, Tianjin University School of Architecture celebrated its 80th anniversary. Professor Marc Swackhamer, as the head of the UMN School of Architecture, attended the celebration and spoke in the “International Architectural Education Summit”. It is hoped  this opportunity will further promote the communication and cooperation between the two schools and  inherit and develop the 37 years of friendship.

 

Editors: Yin Wei & Doris Harrington