缅北禁地

With a Bachelor and a PhD from Tianjin University (China) and University College London (UK) respectively, I embarked on a bilingual and bicultural career in architectural teaching and research from 1993 on. I taught briefly at the AA and the Bartlett School in 1993-1994, a few years at University of Tasmania (1995-1998), then a long time at University of Melbourne (1999-2019). In late 2019, I joined 缅北禁地 in the UK as Professor/Chair of East Asian Architecture. 

By early 2019, I have delivered more than 100 guest lectures worldwide (at institutions including MIT, Harvard GSD, Toronto University, Vienna Architecture Centre, Royal Academy of Art, and Royal College of Art) and published more than 100 pieces - mostly in English and some in Chinese (in AA Files, Time and Architecture, Jianzhu Xuebao, Harvard Design Magazine).

I have published Chinese Spatial Strategies Imperial Beijing 1420-1911 (Routledge, 2004), which was translated into Chinese (SDX Joint Publishing, 2017), and Architecture of Modern China: a Historical Critique (Routledge, 2009). I am also the editor of Sixty Years of Chinese Architecture: History, Theory and Criticism (Beijing: CABP, 2009, in Chinese). 

I am the Visiting Professor at Southeast University/SEU (Nanjing) since 2012, and at China Academy of Art/CAA (Hangzhou) since 2017. I deliver an annual theory class at SEU and CAA - at Master of Architecture level - around the relations between design and criticism, and between politics, space and architecture. 

With cross-Pacific relations intensifying from 2017 on, my new research interest centres on the relation between war, geopolitics and architecture. I aim to frame a geopolitical way of thinking, criticising and historical writing on architecture, using East Asia of the Cold War as an empirical case.

My research centres on the relations between politics and architecture, with a special reference to China and the Asia-Pacific region. I employ social and critical theories for empirical historical studies and speculative theorisations. In the past 25 years (since I completed PhD in 1993/4), I have conducted these major studies:

1, Imperial palace and the city of Beijing, of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1420-1911), as a field of spatial politics at various scales (from micro space of the palace to the mega geopolitical projects of the empire), with an employment of social and cultural theories that included, among others, that of Michel Foucault and Francois Jullien. It is resulted in:

Jianfei Zhu, Chinese Spatial Strategies: Imperial Beijing 1420-1911 (Routledge Curzon: 2004). It is translated into Chinese by Associate Professor Zhuge Jing as Zhongguo Kongjian Celue: Didu Beijing 1420-1911 (Beijing: SDZ Joint Publishing 2017).

2, Case studies on the important episodes of architecture of modern China, from 1720s to 2000s, with a focus on the relations between state politics, state ideology, cultural tradition, space production and formal design, from the Qing dynasty to the post-Mao era. It is resulted in:

Jianfei Zhu, Architecture of Modern China: A Historical Critique (Routledge: 2009).

3, Formation of a framework with which we can engage a criticism of architectural design and practice from China in an international perspective. This is resulted in:

Jianfei Zhu, 'Criticality in between China and the West', The Journal of Architecture, vol 10, no 5 (Nov 2005) 479-98.

Jianfei Zhu, ed. Sixty Years of Chinese Architecture: History, Theory and Criticism (Beijing: CABP, 2009) (in Chinese).

4, Theorising on Chinese culture, city and architecture in a theoretical and political framework:

Jianfei Zhu, 'Empire of Signs of Empire: Scale and Statehood in Chinese Culture', Harvard Design Magazine, 38 (2014) 74-9.

Jianfei Zhu, 'Political and Epistemological Scales in Chinese Urbanism', Harvard Design Magazine, 37 (2014) 132-41.

5, Theories and methodologies for studying the relations between politics, space and architecture:

Jianfei Zhu, 'Robin Evans in 1978: between social space and visual projection', The Journal of Architecture, vol 12, no 2 (2011) 267-90.

Jianfei Zhu, Xingshi you Zhengzhi: Forms and Politics: An Approach to Thinking in Architecture (Shanghai: Tongji University, 2018) (in Chinese).

6, A theorisation of the everyday and the anonymous, following Jacques Rancere, for design thinking:

Jianfei Zhu, 'Reconstructing the "everyday" for a political aesthetic in design', arq: Architectural Research Quarterly, vol 21, no 3 (2017) 255-264.

7, My recent open lectures, classroom teaching and preliminary studies centre on the relations between warfare, geopolitics and architecture, in response to the new tensions arising across the Pacific. 

In the recent past at University of Melbourne, I have taught:

A large design studio (Undergraduate, Year 2): 'Learning from the Masters' which centres on a study of formal logic and formal language of selected 'masters' in modernism and neo-modernism (including Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto, Louis Kahn, and Rem Koolhaas).

A theory subject (Master of Architecture, Year 1 or 2): 'Forms and Politics' where social, cultural, spatial and critical theories, including those from Michel Foucault, Bill Hillier, Robin Evans, Karl Marx, Manfeodo Tafuri, Walter Benjamin, and Jacques Ranciere, are introduced. 

A history class (Master of Architecture, Year 1 or 2): 'Polemic Design in China Japan Korea' where histories and design cases of selected architects from North East Asia, from the colonial to the present, are studied.

In 2019-2020, at 缅北禁地, I am currently teaching Step 2 and 3 (Year 2 & 3):

The 'Cultures' section of ARC 2024 'About Architecture: Cities, Cultures and Space' where modern reconstruction of tradition and ideas of Critical Regionalism are introduced, using East Asia as a case region.

The Dissertation Elective section of ARC 2024, the Dissertation Studies of ARC 2020, and ARC 3060 (Dissertation), in which I run a seminar/dissertation group of students: 'War, Geopolitics and Architecture' (covering topics of urban battlefield, military infrastructure, war aesthetics, and geopolitical framing of design culture and knowledge). 

In PhD supervision, I have supervised theses on the various historical/political cases of urban and architectural development in the context of modern and historical East Asia. I expect future PhD supervisions to be centring on geopolitical forces and local designs and urban forms, in the Asia-Pacific region of colonial and Cold-War times. (Dec 2019)

From Sept 2019 to now, I have been teaching studios, dissertation studies, history modules and theory subjects. My main teaching focus is a module for Masters students (ARC8120): Critical and Comparative where political and cultural perspectives are introduced for a study of design and constructed spaces, where Asian and Euro-American cases are examined together. For Dissertation Studies (2nd and 3rd Year BArch), I lead a 'landscape/the picturesque' and a 'war-architecture' elective group in alternative years. (July 2025)

Past PhD successes (30 July 2025):

Uri Chae (Sept 2020 - Sept 2024, degree award: May 2025): Confronting the North: Spatial Constructions for Defence in the Park Chung-Hee Administration in South Korea in the 1960s and 1970s (Viva passed 'without correction' in February 25, degree conferred in May 25, University's Doctoral College Thesis Prize awarded in June 25). [70% supervision load, with Professor Ali Madanipour]

Lu Bao (Sept 2020 - Sept 2024, degree award: July 2025): Transport Networks and Spatial Politics for Colonialism: A Study on the Formation of Dalian as a Terminal in Japan's Expansion over Chinese Manchuria 1895-1945. [70% supervision load, with Dr Andrew Law]

Current PhD students (30 July 2025):

Difei Shan (Sept 2021): Curating Architecture from China on an International Platform: Beijing, Nanjing and London (2000-2015), a working title [66% supervision load, with Dr Stephen Parnell, and Dr Matthew Ozga-Lawn]

Lingfei Kong (Sept 2021): Towards Autonomy?: A Study of Jianzhu Xuebao (The Architectural Journal) as a Printed Space of Dynamics between State Authority and the Profession in China of the Early Reform Era (1973-1980s), a working title [60% supervision load, with Dr Stephen Parnell]

Xuan Qiao (Sept 2021): Mu Xin (1927-2011): Building a Chinese Aesthetics through Turbulent Times, a working title [15% supervision load, with Dr Joseph Lawson and Dr Andrew Law]

Yuqing Wang (Sept 2023): The Rise of a Lingnan Landscape Modernism in Guangzhou (1950s-1970s): Investigating a Network of Local, National and International Agencies between Formal and Political Imperatives, a working title [70% supervision load, with Dr Samuel Austin]

Jun Zhou (Sept 2023): The Chung-Ying Street between Mainland China and British Hong Kong (1950s-1980s): A Cartographic, Experiential and Cultural-Narrative Study on a Border Condition through the Cold War, a working title [50% supervision load, with Professor Adam Sharr]

Yixuan Yang (Sept 2024): A Study of Chinese and Russian Architectural Journals in the Cold War (1950s): Formation of Design Ideologies through Printed Media in a Geopolitical Condition, a working title [60% supervision load, with Dr Robert Dale]

Pinyi Liu (Sept 2024): Dalian, Taipei and Keelung in the Japanese Colonial Administration: A Multi-Scalar Investigation on the Spatial Construction of Transport Terminuses as a Strategic Political Device, a working title [60% supervision load, with Dr Charlotte Veal]

• Articles

  • Zhu J. . Perspectives in Architecture and Urbanism 2025, 2(1), 100037.
  • Zhu J, Zhang L, Sun C. . T+A: Time + Architecture 2020, 172(2), 144-153.
  • Zhu J. . Jianzhu Xuebao (Architectural journal) 2018, 592(1), 6-12.
  • Zhu J. . Shidai you Jianzhu: T + A (Time and Architecture) 2018, 163(5), 38-41.
  • Zhu J. Zhu Jianfei: Jianzhu Lishi Qianyan Kechen Jiedu (Zhu Jianfei: frontiers of architectural history: an interview). Zhu Yan: Architecture Review 2017, 8, 20-25.
  • Zhu J. . arq: Architectural Research Quarterly 2017, 21(3), 200-202.
  • Zhu J. . arq: Architectural Research Quarterly 2017, 21(4), 383-386.
  • Zhu J. . arq: Architectural Research Quarterly 2017, 21(3), 255-264.
  • Zhu J. . Xin Mesh: Journal of the National Academy of Art 2017, 38(8), 57-61.
  • Zhu J. . Shijie Jianzhu: World Architecture 2017, 328(Oct), 20-25.
  • Song K, Zhu J. . ABE Journal (Architecture beyond Europe) (Special issue: The Space of Diplomacy) 2017, 12, 1-27.
  • Song K, Zhu J. . Fabrications: The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand 2016, 26(3), 337-356.
  • Zhu Y, Zhu J. . Jianzhu Xuebao (Architectural Journal) 2016, 577(10), 19-22.
  • Zhu Y, Zhu J. . Jianzhu Shi: The Architect 2016, 184(12), 6-9.
  • Zhu J. . Jianzhu Xuebao (Architectural Journal) 2016, 592(9), 1-3.
  • Zhu J. Shejiyuan: yizhong shoji shijian xingshi de dude yiyi: Design Institutes in China: Political Philosophy of a Special Form of Design Practice. Hua Jianzhu/H+A (Hua Architecture) 2015, 1(1), 136-139.
  • Zhu J. . Shidai Jianzhu: T + A (Time and Architecture) 2015, 145(5), 40-45.
  • Zhu J. . Jianzhu Xuebao (Architectural Journal) 2015, 566(11), 12-14.
  • Zhu J. . Harvard Design Magazine 2014, 37, 132-141.
  • Zhu J. . Harvard Design Magazine 2014, 38, 74-79.

• Authored Book

  • Zhu J. . Shanghai: Tongji University Press, 2018.

• Book Chapters

  • Zhu J. . In: Jianfei Zhu, Chen Wei, Li Hua, ed. Routledge Handbook of Chinese Architecture: Social Production of Buildings and Spaces in History. London, UK: Routledge, 2023, pp.551-565.
  • Zhu J. . In: Jianfei Zhu, Chen Wei, Li Hua, ed. Routledge Handbook of Chinese Architecture: Social Production of Buildings and Spaces in History. London, UK: Routledge, 2023, pp.691-700.
  • Zhu J, Chen W, Li H. . In: Jianfei Zhu, Chen Wei, Li Hua, ed. Routledge Handbook of Chinese Architecture: Social Production of Buildings and Spaces in History. London, UK: Routledge, 2023, pp.3-20.
  • Zhu J. . In: Jianfei Zhu, Chen Wei, Li Hua, ed. Routledge Handbook of Chinese Architecture: Social Production of Buildings and Spaces in History. London, UK: Routledge, 2023, pp.713-722.
  • Zhu J, Li H, Chen W. . In: Jianfei Zhu, Chen Wei, Li Hua, ed. Routledge Handbook of Chinese Architecture: Social Production of Buildings and Spaces in History. London, UK: Routledge, 2023, pp.729-735.
  • Zhu J. . In: Jianfei Zhu, Chen Wei, Li Hua, ed. Routledge Handbook of Chinese Architecture: Social Production of Buildings and Spaces in History. London, UK: Routledge, 2023, pp.422-437.
  • Zhu J. . In: Reuben Rose-Redwood, Liora Bigon, ed. Gridded Worlds: An Urban Anthology. Cham: Springer, 2018, pp.121-140.
  • Zhu J. . In: Tiago Saldanha Quadros, ed. Macau Sessions: Dialogues on Architecture and Society. Macau: Babel Cultural Organisation, 2015, pp.142-165.

• Edited Book

  • Zhu, J, Wei, C, Hua, L, ed. . New York: Routledge, 2023.

• Editorial

  • Zhu J. . arq: Architectural Research Quarterly 2017, 21(3).

• Note

  • Zhu J. . Shijie Jianzhu: World Architecture 2017, 323(May), 41.

• Review

  • Zhu J. . The China Journal 2014, 71(January), 235-237.