Menu
Place is not just 'in-between space'. It is a portal to nature and community. It is a safe space for the mingling of our energies.
As Chairperson of JUCCCE, Peggy Liu is one of the leading catalysts of a green China. She consults companies and governments on sustainability and cross-cultural collaboration with China. JUCCCE is an environmental organization that has been at the heart of the greening of China since 2007, accelerating societal-scale change in clean energy, sustainable cities, sustainable consumerism and smart grid, and planet-friendly diets. Peggy has a passion for connecting personal and planetary health. Peggy Liu has been called "the best cultural ambassador for China to give meaningful insights into the workings of China." And "the most inspiring speaker" who has "completely shifted my view on China."She led the first classes on how to build eco-cities in China, educating 1000 mayors.
Placemakers give space life. The best places buzz with activity, vibrate with diversity, restore energy, and have a charming personality.
The first "places" I designed were gardens filled with 80+ varieties of edible fruit. Food forests to me are the ultimate expression of placemaking. Ole Scheeren, starchitect of the Beijing CCTV building, emphasized the importance of the space between tall buildings at a TEDx I led on placemaking in Shanghai.
The creek in front of my house, with small caves made from fallen boulders and skunk cabbage lining the waters. It gave birth to playing with nature- building "dams", preparing "salads", exploring the past through archeological "digs".
I love my Shanghai apartment that sits on top of 3 subway lines, is surrounded by a myriad of eats and shops. The pedestrian eating street becomes a dog park at night. The newest mixed-use development sits next to a famous neighborhood of preserved historical buildings. It is the epitome of transit-centered living.
Peggy spent 8 years teaching over 1000 mayors and central government officials across small and large cities of China how to build livable and lovable cities. From the very first class of; "What Is an Ecocity", to "Transit-centered Living", to"Ecoheritage Tourism", to "Ecolovable Cities", these teachings have influenced the urban landscape of China and lives of Chinese during an unprecedented period of development.
Let's not waste place. Let place enable us be present within ourselves, with each other, and with nature.
