On December 6, the 2025 Annual Conference of the Alliance of Architectural Societies in the Yangtze River Delta was held in Hefei. Zhu Peidong — co-founder and principal of line+ and recipient of the 3rd “Outstanding Young Architect of the Yangtze River Delta” award — was invited to attend and deliver a keynote at the Young Architects Innovation Forum, titled “Engaging with Nature, Crafting Living Habitats.”

Dr. Zhu shared practice-driven insights rooted in Hangzhou’s landscape culture, exploring how design can regenerate organic urban–rural ecologies and foster new forms of coexistence among people, society and nature. He also noted that in the era of mobile internet and AI, architects must evolve from problem-solvers into proactive, multidimensional organizers capable of addressing complex social issues.

The award encourages emerging designers to advance regional innovation, cultural continuity and technological progress. The Alliance, jointly initiated by Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, serves as a major cross-regional platform focused on urban renewal, low-carbon transition, smart technologies and cultural heritage through academic exchange and collaboration.