CJ Lim is Professor of Architecture and Urbanism at the Bartlett, UCL. His design and research of cities is developed through a new multi-disciplinary urban paradigm – the Smartcity, an ecological symbiosis between nature and built-form and the role that citizens play to create diverse forms of resilient landscapes and urbanism. He is the recipient of the Royal Academy of Arts London ‘Grand Architecture Prize’, and a four-time recipient of the Royal Institute of British Architects President’s Medal International Teaching Award for contribution to architecture education – the highest number ever awarded to a single individual. He has taught all levels of architecture education and has held international Visiting Professorships at 12 universities.

CJ’s research is widely published and he has presented over 200 international lectures and conference papers. He has authored 12 books including 441/10…we’ll reconfigure your space when you’re ready (1996), Sins + Other Spatial Relatives (2001), How Green is Your Garden? (2003), Museums [work in process] (2004), NeoArchitecture: Studio 8 Architects (2005), Virtually Venice (2006), and Short Stories – London in two-and-a-half dimensions (2011). His award-winning bestselling books Smartcities and Eco-warriors (2010, 2nd edition, 2019), Food City (2014) and Inhabitable Infrastructures: Science fiction or urban future? (2017) explore the potential of climate change-related urbanism that address the fundamental human requirements to protect, to provide and to participate. His latest authored book Once Upon a China (2020) continues his interest in architectural storytelling. In addition, he has also edited four books Realms of Impossibility: Air, Ground + Water (3 volumes; 2002), and Devices (2005), which are critical enquiries into the potential of innovative architecture, utopian ideals and unorthodox methodologies of spatial explorations.

CJ is also the founding director of Studio 8 Architects in London – a multi-disciplinary and international award-winning practice. With over 30 years’ experience in planning and design of the built environment, he has been the principal designer/research investigator of over 150 projects, with recent sustainable cities planning/urban design commissions from the Chinese and Korean Governments, ranging from 0.2km2 to 80km2. His contributions are to enhance the quality of lives in communities and bring greater social equality, and cultural and environmental awareness. His works are part of the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum London, Fonds Regional d’Art Contemporain du Centre (FRAC) France, and RIBA British Architectural Library London. His celebrated project ‘Virtually Venice’ is an investigation of East-West cities, cultures and identities – a commission by the British Council UK for the Venice Architecture Biennale.