Lin Ji has been engaged in some of the country’s major urbanization projects, such as the design of the Wangjing area, which includes the celebrated 798 art zone.

That year, he started work early in the morning and often finished as late as 2 am.

Lin compares his work to that of a doctor. He can't entirely cure each city but can prescribe treatments for severe ailments.

The toughest challenge, he says, was Liaoning province's Fushun.

The mining town is home to the continent's largest open coal pit, which is the size of a small city itself. Fushun in 2005 faced high unemployment, resource depletion, environmental damage and geological disasters.

Local officials wanted to expand the city into the geological-disaster zone as a fast and cheap way to stimulate economic growth. Lin and his team succeeded in persuading them to abandon this idea and instead revamp its old city area.

Lin claims to have been the first to develop the idea of renovating low-income downtown neighborhoods before expanding outward. The central government approves of the model, which has been implemented across the country.

"We sometimes must be eloquent to persuade local governments," he says.

While full-throttle urbanization has propelled breakneck economic growth, destruction of the environment and historical buildings presents urgent challenges.

Planners are now making more use of existing areas rather than pushing into suburbs.

Lin is working on his first overseas project, the Cambodia Dara Sakor seashore resort - an area leased to China for 99 years.

"I hope to plan cities outside of China," he says.

"I'm confident. Some of the cities I planned in China are among the most difficult projects in the world."

dengzhangyu@chinadaily.com.cn