July 28th, 1976 saw an unprecedented earthquake, leveling to ground a city with over 100 years of industry. With nirvana of decades of reconstruction, rejuvenation and growth, Tangshan is now a beautiful city, prosperous, attractive, livable and harmonious. Over the yeas, great achievements have been made, especially in housing with improvements in convenience and prevention of natural disasters. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the earthquake and summarize the history of changes in municipal planning of Tangshan, Tangshan Real Estate interviewed President WANG Chunyanm, Vice President LIU Yumin, Chief Engineer WANG Lianzhu, Chief Architect CHEN Hewen and Engineer-In-Charge SUN Zhidan.
Reconstruction of Tangshan was started with planning. Only three months after the quake, planners and architects worked out a blueprint for reconstruction of the city. In the interview, SUN Zhidan briefed on the features of the planning of 1976,1985,1994 and 2011, saying it is essential currently to set up an overall disaster prevention system based on elastic urban planning, under whose guidance a most safe city could be created for humans, pioneering on the road of scientific development.
Regarding housing construction, CHEN Hewen explained the features of the after-quake reconstruction, rejuvenation and rapid growth periods when houses were built for prevention of quakes and later for maximum convenience. As to disaster-responding abilities, WANG Lianzhu said quake-resistance of buildings is being strengthened along with the improving awareness of quake prevention of the residents.
Rapid growth characterized by mushrooming residential parks is impacting surrounding environment, especially traffic. About this issue, LIU Yumin said, assessment of impacts on environment is catching increasing attention from planning authorities, including urban roads, bridges and sponge city construction. President WANG exclaimed at the tremendous changes over 40 years in terms of urban area and increase of per capita housing area for locals, adding that the years were a witness of the huge achievements of nirvana, a recent justification of which was World Horticulture Expo 2016.
Architecture design is compared to the art of solidification. Tall buildings of different styles and residential parks of modern fashions are fruits and proofs of the wisdom of the designers of the Institute, priding on being a comprehensive design leader that has made extraordinary contributions and will, as ever, join the concerted efforts of all Tangshan people to make a beautiful and powerful coastal city.