Professor Nie Lansheng, a doctoral supervisor of the School of Architecture and a famous Chinese architect and architectural educator, died of illness at 21:30 on January 18, 2021, at the age of 91.
The photo of Prof. Nie Lansheng
Prof. Nie Lansheng served as an editorial board member of Architectural Journal from 1981 to 2002.
She was born in Toulouse, France in December 1930. When she grew up, she graduated from the Northeast Institute of Technology’s Department of Architecture in 1954 and was assigned to be a teacher Tianjin University’s Department of Architecture in the same year.Prof. Nie was reassigned to Shijiazhuang Municipal Light Industry Architectural Design and Research Institute in 1968, and then returned back to Tianjin in 1978. In Tianjin, she held posts successively in Tianjin Petrochemical Design Institute and Tianjin Architectural Design Research Institute and went back to work at the Department of Architecture of Tianjin University in 1979.
Prof. Nie exhibited great e passion for teaching and creation after she returned to teaching post. In 1981 and 1982, she participated in the first and second National College Student Architectural Design Competitions. Under her guidance, the Department of Architecture of Tianjin University was crowned the highest awards among universities in China. In 1980, two projects designed by Prof. Nie won the highest awards in the first national architectural design competition-the National Small and Medium Theater Design Competition, demonstrating the superb design strength of the teachers and students of the Department of Architecture of Tianjin University. In 1982, Nie went to Kobe University for a one-year exchange visit, further strengthening the academic cooperation between the Department of Architecture of Tianjin University and the Department of Architecture of Kobe University. In 1983, Nie was hired as a master's supervisor, and opened a compulsory course "Analysis of Japanese Contemporary Architectural Trends and Works" for master students. Due to Nie's profound knowledge, elegant manners, and eloquence, this course quickly became the most popular course in the department. In 1990, Nie became one of the first female doctoral supervisors of Tianjin University. Till her retirement in 2003, she cultivated more than 50 master and doctoral students during the past 20 years, all of whom are active in the field of architecture today. In 2006, she won the Second Special Award of Architectural Education of the Architectural Society of China.
In addition to the teaching work, Prof. Nie also led young teachers and postgraduates to carry out architectural theory research and architectural design creation and made outstanding achievements.She presided over many scientific research projects such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Doctoral Fund, and the China Talent Fund. Besides, she published more than 50 academic papers and 5 academic monographs. Her design of Hongling Garden District in Guangzhou, the well-off residential area in Gaocheng Town, Yixing, Jiangsu Province, and Taida New Town in Wuxi won the Excellent Housing Award of the Ministry of Construction and other designs like Hebei Agricultural University’s library, Plant Protection Building, and the International Training Center and the Second Middle School of Jiaozuo in Henan Province won Run Shaw Award for Engineering.
In the eyes of her students, Prof. Nie is not only quick-witted with high academic attainment, but also has a very charming personality. She is a strict teacher but a loving mother. She remembered all the students she has taught and was able to call out their names and recall their personal traits and anecdotes when they visited her after they had graduated for many years.
Prof. Nie’s students celebrated her 90th birthday.
In 2003, Prof. Nie continued to do academic research and design creation after her retirement, and completed academic monographs such as "Analysis of the Living Forms of Chinese Big Cities in the 21st Century". In 2006, Nie got uremia and had to go to the hospital for dialysis three times a week. Her condition deteriorated gradually during the period. However, Nie fought against the illness with her strong perseverance and optimism. Sick as she was, Prof. Nie treated the guests warmly in the most elegant manners, whether they were her friends, colleagues or students. She always talked happily with guests for more than an hour. Then the guests would say goodbye to her because they worried about Nie’s health. She always has a strong affinity in the hearts of all these people.
Distinguished Professor Nie Lansheng, we will always miss you.
By the School of Architecture
Editor: Eva Yin
