Albert Chan

Biography: Albert Chan has a long-term passion for the development and design of sustainable urban communities as well as in placemaking. Trained as an architect and urban designer, he is the Director of Planning and Development at Shui On Land (SOL) and Chief Sustainability Officer of the Group. From 1997 onwards, he led the masterplanning and design of SOL “Tiandi” urban regeneration communities in China, which has received multiple international and national awards from ULI, MIPIM, AIA, CTBUH, World Bank, CRED and other organizations. From 1998 to 2001, he led the design efforts for the Shanghai Xintiandi development, which became the first development in China to receive the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Award for Excellence. Other multiple -awarded developments include Foshan Lingnan Tiandi, Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), Rui Hong Xin Cheng, Hongqiao Tiandi, Wuhan Tiandi, Xintiandi Plaza Renovation, Panlong Tiandi and Hongshoufang, all located in China. Albert leads the Sustainable Development Department of Shui On Land and is responsible for the 5C sustainability objectives and initiatives of the Group. Shui On Land is the first in Mainland China to obtain Science-based Target Initiative (SBTi) approved 2030 carbon reduction targets. All large SOL communities received LEED neighborhood Gold level certifications as well as various building level of China Green Star and international certifications. Shanghai Xintiandi Community received the world’s first WELL Community certification in 2019. In 2014, he was a recipient of the Shanghai Green Building Council’s “Special Individual Contribution Award”. Albert is an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (Hon. FAIA) and was a Member of the Board of Directors of AIA Shanghai Chapter from 2018-2024. Albert has been a Global Trustee of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), and Chaired the ULI Mainland China Council from 2017-2019. He is a Chartered Member of Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and member of RIBA China100. He is a member of the Architectural Society of China Committee for Urbanism and Mixed-use Buildings, and a member of the Shanghai Architectural Society. As planning and urban regeneration expert, Albert is appointed as a member of International Panel of Experts (IPE) of Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) effective 2023-25. He served as Adviser of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Guangzhou Campus Development Board. Albert has participated as expert member in the ULI Advisory Services Program for sites in Singapore and Korea, and as panel member of planning and urban regeneration experts for Shanghai Planning Bureau and District Governments on urban sites. He regularly gives talks on urban regeneration, planning, placemaking and sustainability at various international conferences and universities. As development and design juror, Albert chaired the 2023 ULI Global Award for Excellence Jury and chaired the 2024 ULI Asia Pacific Award for Excellence Jury. He co-chairs the jury for the China Real Estate Design Competition since 2020. He has been a juror for ULI, AIA, CTBUH and other award programs. Prior to joining Shui On Land, Mr. Chan worked at the New York City Department of Design and Construction and at Cooper, Robertson + Partners. Albert holds MS (UD) from Columbia University, M. Arch from U.C. Berkeley, MBA from New York University, and B. Arch from U of Minnesota.