Spanish-Chinese Heritage & Architecture 2026 Dialogues in Hangzhou

This research project was honored to attend the II Spain-China Heritage Dialogues: Monuments and Houses – Rehabilitation, Conservation, and Sustainable Management of Built Heritage, held at the Nanshan Campus of the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou (October 12–14, 2026).

De. Leonardo-Perez received a special invitation from Turespaña thanks to Ana Cabrera Lafuente and the Embassy of Spain in China as main organizer in recognition of the Abelardo Lafuente Research Project and its significant contribution to Spanish and Chinese shared heritage—a journey that began with a sudden, unexpected discovery presented during Expo Shanghai 2010.

🌟 About the Event

Organized by the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain in Beijing (AECID) and the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, with the collaboration of Turespaña, this second edition celebrated two major milestones:

-Centennial of Paradores de España (Spain’s state-owned heritage hotel chain).

-Centenary of the death of iconic architect Antoni Gaudí.

The dialogue aligns with the bilateral Cultural, Educational, and Scientific Cooperation Action Plan (2025–2028), focusing on technological innovation, scientific research, and sustainable management of built heritage.

👥 Keynote Speakers & Distinguished Participants

Inaugural Ceremony & Opening

Sr. Xu Yuhong – President, China Academy of Art (Hangzhou)

H.E. Ms. Marta Betanzos Roig – Ambassador of Spain to the P.R. China

Dr. Plácido González Martínez – Architect & Professor, University of Seville (Event co-organizer)

Juan José Herrera de la Muela – Cultural Counselor, Embassy of Spain in China (Event co-organizer)

CHANG Qing – Academician, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Professor, Tongji University (Keynote Speaker)

Panel Sessions & Experts

🏰 Panel 1: Monuments (Management, promotion, and sustainable development against tourism challenges)

Antonio Peral – Conservation Architect & Head of Conservation, Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalife

Zhuang Ying – Deputy Director of Data Management, Palace Museum (Forbidden City)

🌆 Panel 2: Historic Cities (Heritage management and sustainable urban development)

Shao Yong – Director of WHITRAP (UNESCO Asia-Pacific) & Professor, Tongji University (Coordinator of Pingyao Ancient Town Rehabilitation)

🏡 Panel 3: The House and the Monument: Gaudí (Monumental conservation & Antoni Gaudí’s legacy)

Amílcar Vargas – World Heritage Manager, Casa Batlló

Zhuo Min – Architect & Professor, China Academy of Art

🏨 Panel 4: Cities and Hotels (Rehabilitation of historic buildings for hospitality)

María José Aranguren López & José González Gallegos – Aranguren Gallegos Studio (Project: Parador de Alcalá de Henares)

Yu Weizhong – President, National Science & Tech Park Development Co., China Academy of Art

🛠️ Panel 5: Hotels & Technical Aspects (Technological & technical solutions in heritage rehabilitation)

Alfredo Latorre Marco – Technical Architect, Turespaña

Zhen Jie – Designer, Amanfayun Hotel (Hangzhou)

📜 Closing Lecture: Houses, Monuments, and Hotels

Zhuo Min – Professor, China Academy of Art

Ana Cabrera Lafuente – EU-Next Generation Project Coordinator, Turespaña

Connecting past discoveries with future bilateral heritage goals has been an inspiring experience. A heartfelt thank you to Turespaña, the Embassy of Spain in China, and the China Academy of Art for creating such an exceptional platform for international cultural exchange!

From this research project we hope this one to be the first step to much more events linking the cultural heritages of both countries and link it with the Lafuente heritage in Shanghai and the rest of China.