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Tao Zhang Speaks at 2020 BEED Asia Conference

In August, Sasaki principal and Chair of Design Culture, Tao Zhang, ASLA, PLA, delivered a pre-recorded presentation at BEED 2020 (Better Educational Environment Dynamic), one of the largest annual conferences focusing on educational institutions and campuses in Asia. Zhang presented Sasaki’s recent award-winning work for Xinyang University in China.

This year’s event at the Marriot Hotel Parkview in Shanghai, China brought together experts and practitioners from the education sector and beyond, including leaders of local and international institutions, government officials, campus planners, and top-tier educators to explore how institutions can create better spaces to improve student life on campus.

Although Zhang could not attend the conference in person due to COVID-19 related travel restrictions in the US, he gave a well-received video presentation titled A Contextual Campus: Xinyang University. Looking into the on-going work for Xinyang University South Bay Campus, Zhang demonstrated how innovation in campus design is vital to addressing the constantly shifting demands on learning and teaching, and to shaping a wholesome and vibrant on-campus experience.

Diverse programmatic spaces and ecological settings on the South Bay campus bring to life an engaging living-learning environment, where a culture of teaching and learning are truly interlaced with the landscape. A comprehensive array of social, communal, and recreational facilities are organized into a series of tight-knit clusters integrated into the rolling terrain. All of the campus’ buildings and key program destinations are located within a 5-minute walk of one another, making the campus a pedestrian-oriented environment. Strategies for efficient energy use, waste management, and topsoil conservation are employed throughout to further sustainability goals.

Sasaki also set up a booth at BEED 2020. Sasaki representatives engaged with education practitioners in discussions around campus design.

Watch the full video presentation below:

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