Yu Kongjian, pioneer of sponge cities, dies in Brazil plane crashCEFR A2
29 Sept 2025
Adapted from Global Voices Brazil, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Ian Talmacs, Unsplash
Yu Kongjian, 62, a Chinese landscape architect, died in a plane crash in the Pantanal, Brazil, on September 23, 2025. Three other people died: the pilot Marcelo Pereira de Barros and two Brazilian filmmakers, Luiz Fernando Feres da Cunha Ferraz and Rubens Crispim Jr. The group was working on a documentary about sponge cities. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Yu pioneered the sponge city idea and founded Turenscape. He was a professor at Peking University. Sponge cities store and manage water with green roofs, rainwater storage, sunken green spaces and permeable pavement. Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the Biennale published notes praising Yu’s work.
Difficult words
- architect — A person who designs buildings and spaces.
- victim — Someone who is harmed or killed by an event.victims
- crash — A sudden, violent collision.
- documentary — A film that tells true stories.
- investigator — A person who examines a situation to find facts.Investigators
- concept — An idea or plan.
- management — The process of organizing or controlling.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think water management is important in cities?
- How can accidents like plane crashes be prevented?
- What impact do you think this event has on the community?
- Why is it significant to remember victims of accidents?
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