A tragic incident unfolded on Tuesday in Brazil’s sprawling wetlands as a small aircraft, carrying the renowned Chinese landscape architect Kongjian Yu and three others, went down. Authorities have confirmed that all four occupants perished in the crash.
The single-engine plane reportedly lost control during its descent near Aquidauana, a city in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Upon impact, the aircraft was engulfed in flames, state officials reported.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by Brazil’s national aviation safety agency.
Kongjian Yu, the celebrated Chinese architect among the fatalities, was widely recognized for his pioneering ‘sponge city’ initiative. This innovative urban planning model leverages natural landscapes to effectively absorb, conserve, and filter rainwater, thereby safeguarding communities from the increasing impacts of climate change.
Credit: Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press
Also tragically lost in the accident were two filmmakers and the pilot. The crash occurred in the Pantanal, a breathtaking wetlands region in western Brazil, famous for its abundant wildlife and stunning natural beauty.
Within the landscape architecture community, Mr. Yu was revered for his forward-thinking approach to urban adaptation in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
Rather than constructing traditional flood walls and barriers to combat rising waters, Yu championed designs that emulate natural processes. His proposals included integrating green roofs and establishing permeable zones capable of absorbing and reusing rainwater more efficiently.
He famously termed his idea the ‘sponge city’ concept. In a 2024 interview, he likened it to ‘doing tai chi with water,’ referencing the martial art’s principle of redirecting force rather than confronting it head-on. ‘It’s a whole philosophy, a new way of dealing with water,’ he articulated.
As the head of Turenscape, his Beijing-based firm and one of the globe’s largest landscape architecture practices, Yu spearheaded the creation of hundreds of urban water parks across China. These projects strategically utilize natural landscaping to guide flash flood runoff back into the earth or into specially designed wetlands.
Yu’s visit to Brazil was for professional engagements, including participation in a significant architectural conference in Brasília and an expo in São Paulo. At these events, he presented innovative urban solutions designed to help cities adapt to a rapidly changing climate.
Credit: Mato Grosso do Sul Fire Department
During his conference speech, Yu emphasized Brazil’s potential to set a global example for urban environments in climate change preparedness. He passionately declared, ‘I see Brazil as the last hope for saving the planet.’
Just prior to the tragic crash, Mr. Yu engaged with local officials and architects in São Paulo, exploring various projects. In a notable social media video, he shared his enthusiasm for transforming a local canal into a ‘sponge’ system to combat flash flooding.
Brazil faces severe climate challenges, experiencing widespread city flooding, extreme droughts in the Amazon rainforest, and devastating wildfires in the Pantanal – a region naturally designed to absorb water for most of the year, but now vulnerable.
Globally, Yu’s visionary urban planning approach has garnered significant attention and implementation in recent years.
As he famously stated in a 2024 interview, ‘You cannot fight water. You have to adapt to it.’