Symposium explores photography's role in preserving 20th-century architecture

Veteran photographer Ye Jinzhong emphasized the importance of authenticity, noting that photographs of historical buildings must truthfully capture their spatial qualities to retain documentary value.

Liu Dong, head of the photography center at Tianjin Architecture Design Institute Co, noted that artificial intelligence and video technologies are challenging and reshaping architectural photography.

He argued that traditional techniques and modern technologies should be integrated in architectural heritage imaging. Film photography and traditional printing methods can convey the textures and material qualities of architectural heritage, while digital tools can help tell the historical stories behind buildings.

For example, to promote Tianjin's historical buildings, industrial remains, and sites along the Grand Canal, his team produced moving images supported by stories written by historians and performances by virtual characters. The resulting videos are displayed in museums, universities and cultural venues, allowing audiences to learn about architectural history even when they cannot enter the buildings.

Zhang Zhe, a professor at North China University of Technology, argued that photography of 20th-century architectural heritage should be developed into a recognizable brand with its own value proposition. To achieve this, she suggested making greater use of emerging digital technologies, such as short videos and virtual reality, to tell the stories behind historic buildings and engage a wider audience.