Designing with Nature-based Solutions (NbS): Towards an Ecological and Healthy City

Dr Yin-Lun Chan is a landscape architect and urban historian, current President of the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects (HKILA); Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Design and Architecture at the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi). He holds a PhD in Architectural History and Theory and Master of Landscape Architecture. He is also Chief Editor the HKILA Journal Yuanlin and Chair of the Centre for Community Cultural Development (CCCD). His teaching and research explore intersections of community arts and design and landscape architecture. He is editor of The Landscape Profession of Hong Kong, 1978–2015.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

• Initiating the landscape and ecological blueprint for Hong Kong
• Publishing the mini-forest guidelines
• Instigating the agenda on circular landscape practices

Marine Thomas is Associate Director of Conservation for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Hong Kong. She is responsible for overseeing TNC’s marine conservation projects on the ground, with a current focus on restoring natural habitats, community-based conservation, and developing sustainable livelihoods as nature-based solutions. Marine is also restoration ecologist specializing in estuarine ecosystems. Over the past 8 years, she has been developing restoration methods, evaluating ecosystem services, developing innovative conservation finance and advocating for policy changes that support widespread restoration efforts in Hong Kong’s waters.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

I would like to help Hong Kong develop a high-integrity ecotourism policy

Mr. Chan is a practicing landscape architect with academic backgrounds in architecture, project management, law, and landscape architecture. In former years of his career, he obtained a variety of experience through renowned architectural consultancies and construction companies. He was head of project management department of an international property developer. He then practiced landscape architecture and urban design at Earthasia Limited and became director of the company. He later joined the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) as the founding head of landscape architecture. In 2018 he joined Otherland Limited as a co-founder and director. Mr. Chan has taken up leadership on a wide range of landmark projects in Hong Kong and nearby regions covering landscape planning and design of the public realm, institutional, infrastructural, residential, and commercial projects.

Mr. Chan serves a number of professional, consultative bodies and NGOs. He is the current President of the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects (HKILA), member of the Appeal Board Panel (Town Planning), member of the Advisory Committee on the Northern Metropolis Sub-committee on Planning, Land and Conservation, member of the Land and Development Advisory Committee’s Building Sub-committee and Joint Sub-committee on Streamlining Development Control, member of the DEVB’s Urban Forestry Advisory Panel, member of the DEVB’s Common Spatial Data Advisory Committee, and an Executive Committee member of Playright Children’s Play Association. He is also the current Chairperson of the Climate Change and Biodiversity Working Group of the International Federation of Landscape Architects Asia Pacific Regions. On behalf of HKILA and ALC, Mr. Chan led and successfully completed the government funded projects Development of the landscape architectural profession in Hong Kong and its Positioning in the Region between 2013 and 2015 and Resilient City – Landscape Planning towards Climate Adaptation between 2018 and 2020.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

1. Adopt nature-positive and climate-positive design in developments.

2. Champion landscape for the wellbeing of people of all ages.

3. Drives awareness for a more resilient city under climate and nature emergencies.