Tongji Professor Makes History: Asian Architects Council's First Chief From Chinese Mainland

Wu Jiang, former vice president of Tongji University, was presented with the presidential chain by outgoing Architects Regional Council Asia (ARCASIA) president Saifuddin Ahmad over the weekend, officially taking office for the 2026-2027 term as the organization's first leader from Chinese mainland.

The handover ceremony in Shanghai, attended by Asian architectural leaders, scholars and government representatives, marked a milestone for ARCASIA, which was founded in 1979, with six member institutes and now boasting 24, as a top global architectural body and exchange platform.

Wu has held key domestic and international academic and professional posts, including standing director of the Architectural Society of China, vice chairman of the Urban Planning Society of China, chairman of the Shanghai Urban Planning Society, honorary fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and Academician of the French Academy of Architecture.

His research and work focus on China's urban heritage protection and reuse, urban renewal and refined governance, with achievements acclaimed by the AIA as influencing urban construction and protection ideas globally.

In his inaugural address on Saturday, Wu outlined three key priorities for his tenure: embracing digitalization, intelligence and networking to enhance architectural innovation; boosting exchanges in Asian architectural education; and deepening cooperation with international organizations to expand the influence of the Asian Architecture Awards.

Outgoing president Saifuddin Ahmad noted the election was decided by a tiebreaker, citing Wu's vision for regional needs and sustainability as decisive.

"Asia has its own stories to tell through architecture," he said, highlighting the region's architectural rise: "For years we looked to the West, but today Asian architects – many from China – win top global awards, and our universities like Tongji lead the world."