Jao on Jao
14 February 2009
There is only a handful of “Certified Experts by the State Council of China”, a nation of 13 billion people. Therefore, they see it as a more prominent title than other organizations. Furthermore, many people don’t know that I am currently the CEO of China Real Estate Design League, which is the largest professional organization in China, the equivalent of Architect Institute in China since it is a NGO. Before I relocated to HK then to Beijing, I was a Commissioner of New York City Planning Commission, 1990-1994. I was the first Asian American serving that post. Before that, I was the First Vice President of New York Society of Architects (NYSA). I also served as a Board member of NYSA for seven years. I was the founding member of AIA Hong Kong Chapter.
James transferred to AIACE upon the recommendation of Steven Miller and he has grown find of the Chapter. He enjoys the opportunity to travel to Europe once a year with my wife for conferences.
Jao Design has been bestowed as one of top ten design firms in China since 2004. Last year, James was voted as one of Ten most influential people in Chinese real estate, and one of twenty people who have influenced Chinese Real Estate in the last twenty years, as well as one of 100 people who will influence China in the next 30 years.
His firm does planning, architectural design, landscape design, and some high end interior design in China. So far, his office has planned some 2400 skm of new cities, designed over 13 mm sm of apt, and over 120 mm sm of office and commercial properties. Despite the economic crisis, the office remains busy. James employs his Associates in the dayily operation of the office to concentrate on investment and charity works in China.
James is speaking about Chinese eco-cities at the 3rd Annual City Development Conference in Singapore on March 31.
He hopes to host a AIACE event in Beijing one day.
—via James Jao, AIA