Keeping alive architectural memories vital

THE RECENT CENTRAL URBAN WORK CONFERENCE, the country's highest-level urban planning meeting, asked cities to maintain their traditional traits when it comes to architecture and cultural diversity. This is a welcome move because traditional buildings are living memories of a city, says Dai Rongli, a researcher at Beijing Society for Philosophy of Nature, Science and Technology, in an article in People's Daily:

All modern cities look alike. All of them have similar buildings with glass facades and look more like concrete jungles, which obscure our memories of the past. We have realized the importance of preserving old buildings to look back proudly at our culture, but sadly not many such structures are left. Our traditional buildings have been demolished, old communities have disappeared and our traditional culture is nowhere to be seen.

Old buildings are living histories. Every age has its characteristic buildings and they tell us how people lived in that age. In other words, old buildings are live museums where people can temporarily escape from the vagaries of today's fast-paced life.