The College of Architecture and Urban Planning has a long history and can be traced back to the former Department of Architecture. During the time of restructuring of the university and college systems in 1952, the Department of Architecture was formed by consolidating the following: Department of Civil Engineering at Tongji University, the Department of Architecture at St. John’s University, Hangzhou Christian College and Hangzhou Fine Arts School. Prof. HUANG Zuoshen (Henry Huang), Prof. WU Jingxiang, Prof. FENG Jizhong, and Prof. LI Dehua were the consecutive Chairs of the former Department of Architecture.

Since being renamed as the College of Architecture and Urban Planning in 1986, this College had Prof. LI Dehua, Prof. DAI Fudong, Prof. TAO Songling, Prof. ZHENG Shiling, Prof. CHEN Bingzhao, Prof. WANG Bowei, Prof. WU Zhiqiang and Prof. WU Changfu as its Deans. Prof. LI Zhenyu has been Dean since July 2013.

CAUP is one of the first colleges in China with programs in urban planning, historic building protection engineering, landscape studies, and industrial design(Now belongs to College of Design and Innovation). It has China’s first graduate program in architecture (1954), one of the first doctoral programs (1981), and the first post-doctoral research center (1988). Urban Planning is one of the key disciplines in China as well as the city of Shanghai. Architecture is one of the key disciplines in China. In 2004, the college of Architecture and Urban Planning was accredited for 7 years from the national educational program.

Currently, CAUP has three departments: the Department of Architecture, the Department of Urban Planning, and the Department of Landscape Studies. CAUP also has 4 undergraduate programs, 5 postgraduate programs and 5 doctoral programs. Extensive courses are offered in urban planning design, architecture design, and landscape design, representing a balanced development among disciplines.The student number has grown and prospered with 1098 undergraduate, 1344 graduate including Ph.D students. Among the total number of 2442 students, 242 are international students, who are coming from over 80 nationalities.

Being one of China’s most influential educational institutions, the most extensive programs among its peers, and the largest body of postgraduate students in the world, CAUP is recognized as an international academic center with a global influence in the academic fields. This brings CAUP to be the home for all 509 faculty with 290 full-time and 219 visiting faculty. In particular, the students are highly benefitted by all 131 international faculty (short-term, long-term, visiting programs, teaching exchange and research projects). In addition, CAUP has taken on a large number of national and local key researches, and produced generations of talented individuals in the construction field. 

Having the responsibility of building harmonious and sustainable environments, we aim to achieve the goal of a world-class educational institution in urban planning, architecture and design. We will carry forward our spiritual traditions, foster international and domestic cooperation, and help to create a bright future for our country.