A group of architecture students from Tianjin University has proved that today’s architects not only design houses, but are also concerned with ecology conservation and restoration. Their design work focusing on bioremediation of a contaminated port area caused by explosion won the 2022 Student Award of ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects), becoming one of the 19 winners out of 459 entries. They are the only Chinese team that has won this highest level of achievement in landscape architecture education worldwide.

Team members Dong Ke and Chen Zhuoran are both senior students from Tianjin University’s School of Architecture. "Our design is more than repairing the polluted land. To bring hope and peace to the residents around the polluted land who suffered emotional trauma is our ultimate goal.” Their work entitled Cell Growth Dish – Brownfield Landscape Ecological Restoration Design integrates landscape design, biological governance and care and endows architectural landscape with humanistic beauty.

"Just a stunning combination of research, planning, and design. It effectively describes a problem and, in detail, presents a convincing solution that exemplifies the best of student work," said the Jury.

Founded in 1899, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is the professional association for landscape architects in the United States, representing more than 15,000 members. Landscape architects lead the planning, design, and stewardship of healthy, equitable, safe, and resilient environments.