Lasting legacy

As Beijing embraced the Year of the Dragon in traditional fashion with fireworks echoing across the city, it also bid farewell to a humble courtyard home that was the residence of renowned architect couple Liang Sicheng and his wife Lin Huiyin. The former siheyuan in Beizongbu Hutong in Doncheng district that once housed the man regarded as the Father of Modern Chinese Architecture has become another vacant lot strewn with rubble and destined for redevelopment.

The courtyard was allegedly demolished without approval from authorities by the Fuheng real estate company, a subsidiary of retail behemoth China Resources. It's believed the firm broke ranks over the Spring Festival holiday and knocked down the remaining structure of the home during the holiday's traditional lull of construction, spelling a bitter end to a three-year battle waged by cultural heritage campaigners to preserve the building.

Despite the building's razing, academics and cultural heritage protection experts contend Liang and his wife's legacy will live on in the city that credits much of its restoration of ancient structures to the visionary couple.

"Liang and Lin's legacy has grown in historical value and connotation, despite the cycle in past years of protect-destroy-re-protect-re-destroy," said He Shuzhong, founder of the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center (CHP).

He believes that despite the demolition, the remainder of the site will live on as testament to the difficulties of heritage protection and raise public awareness of other historical sites in the cross-hair of the wrecking ball. CHP was one of the most prominent voices in the 2009 battle to preserve the house, and isn't about to curtail its campaign to appease developers.

"Though this city has suffered a lot of serious destruction, the layout of old Beijing still remains, as do some of the old historical blocks," He added.

"There are still many difficulties and demolitions that are ongoing, but now we have reached the best moment in history to take firm, concrete action. I believe the old city of Beijing will not be completely destroyed."

CHP has attracted a flurry of media attention, online supporters and both public and governmental assistance in the wake of the home's demolition. It is still only a week after the news emerged about the demolition, but even if support and attention wanes there are others that still hold true Liang's philosophy.

Liang was born in Tokyo in 1901 and died in Beijing in 1972. The son of renowned Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) intellectual Liang Qichao, he married Lin in 1928 and the couple lived in Beizongbu Hutong from 1931-37.

Liang was given the task of developing a national style of architecture for China following the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, and set about fulfilling his ambition of preserving the style of old Beijing in the modern era.

"Liang is still mentioned in our classes, including his theory and architecture," said Liu Jian, an associate professor of urban planning and design at Tsinghua University.

Liu added that Liang, himself a graduate and professor at Tsinghua, designed some buildings on the university's campus. He remains a revered figure at his alma mater, which explains why many students and teachers at the university are rallying to see his legacy lives on.

"Liang's ideas and theories were not only influential in academia, they are widely acknowledged. Lots of young people still follow them, otherwise there wouldn't be so many people displaying concern over the demolition of his house," she added.

Away from their contracts to build grandiose city structures, Liang and Lin laid the foundations that continue to inspire Chinese architecture today. Liang had imagined a city where the old center of Beijing was protected yet livable, with communities pooling their resources around central, newer amenities.

"Liang was educated in the US, where he adopted the idea that old buildings should be protected and preserved as cultural heritage. This is significant, even today," said Liu. "However, the reality of Beijing today is very different from his idea, as we can see."

Beijing's abominable traffic and tall, lemming-like buildings in the urban center are enough to make some architectural romantics regret Liang's plan was never followed through.

His plans for the preservation of Beijing were rejected in the early 1950s by policymakers of the time. Whether it was because of a desperate drive for industry and modernization or a mistrust of his education in the US, it's not entirely clear.

He is perhaps remembered most fondly as an educator, particularly one who shaped the way scholars understand the national identity associated with Chinese architecture.

"I think the big problem today is that younger architects may be totally against Chinese-style buildings, leading them to just design these fake 'old' Chinese buildings," said Beijing architect Zhu Pei, whose firm has built numerous residential, commercial and cultural buildings in the capital.

"Liang was more focused on traditional Chinese architecture, but for the younger generation of architects today to really respect the traditional culture they must know the soul of Beijing's buildings."

Zhu has been at the forefront of China's construction boom, and has received a host of international awards for his projects. His small studio of fewer than 20 people aims to bring modern vitality to designs, while retaining the distinct soul attached to the older districts of Beijing.

Zhu noted that the new trend of demolishing old buildings and replacing them with poorer imitations was ill-directed. While Liang became predominantly concerned in the latter part of his career with passing on his ideals, his crowning achievement was to make people aware of how they could balance the old soul of a city with modernity. Some of Zhu's sentiments are remarkably reminiscent of the old master himself.

"It's important to understand traditional architecture and know the soul of Chinese architecture. Only then can you improve and link the contemporary and traditional," he added. "I believe the future of Chinese contemporary architecture lies in connecting or catching up with traditional Chinese culture. That's the only hope we have."