Texas Tech’s Department of Landscape Architecture this week recognized the work of one of its newest faculty members following the release of a book that examines how cities can better understand and repurpose vacant land – a growing challenge for communities around the world.
Rui Zhu, an assistant professor who joined the department in September, served as lead editor, collaborating with Galen Newman, a professor and head of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning at Texas A&M University, on Vacant Land Regeneration: Novel Strategies for Maximizing Local Impact.
“Vacant land is often viewed as a sign of decline, but this book reframes it as a critical opportunity to improve environmental resilience, public health and social equity in cities,” Zhu said. “My hope is that this volume helps planners, designers and communities see vacant land not as a liability, but as a powerful resource for creating healthier and more sustainable urban futures.”
The book arrives at a time when cities across the globe are undergoing dramatic shifts. “Nearly 150 large cities are already shrinking as a result of depopulation, post-industrial shifts and poor land management practices,” Zhu said.
As cities confront this growing issue, a significant shift in urban development approaches is emerging, one that moves away from an exclusive focus on growth and instead prioritizes quality of life, sustainability and resilience, she said.
Organized around four central themes – urban policy and classifications, ecosystem services and resilience, remediation and public health, and community engagement – the volume highlights emerging research and case studies that frame vacant land not as a sign of decline but as an opportunity for reinvention.
“This book reflects the kind of forward-thinking interdisciplinary scholarship we value in the Department of Landscape Architecture,” said Leehu Loon, chair and professor of the Department of Landscape Architecture. “Dr. Zhu’s work demonstrates how design research can meaningfully inform policy and practice while improving the quality of life in communities facing change.”
Zhu, an internationally recognized landscape designer, has built her research career around urban regeneration, community resilience, land-use science and landscape performance. “I’m passionate about transforming underutilized and vacant land into resilient, healthy and vibrant spaces,” she said.
Before arriving at Texas Tech, Zhu served as a postdoctoral researcher, research assistant and teaching assistant at Texas A&M’s College of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning. Her work on environmental analysis earned national attention in 2023, when she received a “Top 10 Exceptional Papers” distinction from Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry for developing a technique that speeds crude oil analysis.
Her earlier research on the economics of repurposing vacant land with green infrastructure earned a national Honor Award in Research from the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2020, as well as a Certificate of Research Excellence from the Environmental Design Research Association.
Zhu is also co-editor of Contemporary Landscape Performance Methods &Techniques: Lessons from the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center, published in 2024. Her portfolio of recognition includes ASLA–Texas Awards of Excellence, Honor and Merit for student design. She holds master’s and doctoral degrees in landscape architecture from Texas A&M and a bachelor’s degree from Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University in China.
CONTACT: Leehu Loon, Professor and Chair, Department of Landscape Architecture, Texas Tech University at {806) 834-5215 or Leehu.Loon@ttu.edu
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