What is urban beauty, or urban aesthetics? The poet Hölderlin might say that aesthetics allow people to "dwell poetically," while Su Shi might describe it as "whether lightly or heavily adorned, it is always fitting."

What is urban aesthetics? A thousand people might have ten thousand ways to define it. But regardless of the interpretation, it should always be concrete, vivid, and authentic.

Craftsmanship in architecture is beauty. The 24 bridges along the Liangma River International Waterfront, the dazzling light show of the Olympic Tower, and the rooftop terrace at THE BOX—all capture a sense of elegance and sophistication with just a single snapshot.

The thoughtful details in the streets are also beauty. The swirling dragon sky canopy on Wangjing Walk, the heart-shaped traffic lights on Huamao Zhonglu (Rd), the 13-degree tilted handrails, and the 45-centimeter-high retaining walls along the Liangma River—each glance reveals a unique charm and creativity.

Urban aesthetics also encompass walkable streets and readable architecture; a city that is both visually appealing on the outside and rich in character on the inside. It is the coexistence of national tradition and international flair, the blend of technological innovation and everyday life. But whether it’s the external or internal aspects, traditional or modern, the core must always be a "people-centered" approach.

As General Secretary Xi Jinping once said, cities should be integrated with nature, ensuring that mountains and waters can be seen, and nostalgia can be remembered. This fundamentally emphasizes the importance of being people-centered.

A city thrives because of its people; the people are the foundation of the city. Following the people-centered concept of urban aesthetics and focusing on the people's needs for a better life, urban beauty becomes concrete, vivid, and authentic.

Putting people first and captivating them with beauty means, for Chaoyang, designing and constructing every building, road, corner, and detail as a work of art, infused with humanistic care and a people-centered ethos. By integrating the city with nature, the city's overall aesthetic will move closer to "dwelling poetically" and embody the ideal of "whether lightly or heavily adorned, it is always fitting."

Translator: NIU Lihua 

Reviewer: DING Zhizhong