© Janet Vicario

Author:
His first book, entitled: PRESERVING THE WORLD'S GREAT CITIES: THE DESTRUCTION AND RENEWAL OF THE HISTORIC METROPOLIS (hardcover: Clarkson Potter, 2001; softcover: Three Rivers Press, 2001) is a detailed socio-cultural portrait of preservation efforts in eighteen cities across the globe—described by Publisher's Weekly as an "important contribution not only to the literature of urban studies and city planning but to architectural history and sociology," by the Atlanta Journal Constitution as "a remarkable chronicle of human spirit and architectural heritage," by Architectural Record On-Line as "an epic, or rather, 18 little epics packed into one important book," and by The Washington Post, as "a landmark of creative urbanism . . . Tung's breath of vision and rapid-fire insights recall Lewis Mumford at his best."

A Japanese-language edition was printed in Summer 2006 by Kaiji Shobol Publishers, Kyoto.

Former New York City Landmarks Preservation Commissioner:
The volume is also politically incisive—reflecting Tung's hands-on experience in dealing with problems of metropolitan growth as a New York City Landmarks Preservation Commissioner for three terms, from 1978 to 1988, in the mayoralty of Edward I. Koch. During his tenure, Tung reviewed over 2,600 proposals constituting over three billion dollars of new construction associated with protected historic buildings. He also evaluated for designation approximately 200 individual landmarks and 12 historic districts composed of 3,500 properties. His engagement in New York City politics then extended into the mayoralty of David N. Dinkins, upon whose transition team he served—interviewing and recommending nominees for the heads of 9 municipal agencies.

As described by Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Sidney H. Schanberg in New York Newsday: “Why Does Koch Fear an Independent Voice?” and in the New York Times: “Landmarks Panelist Persists, to Supporters’ Relief,” Tung's service as a commissioner, in particular his refusal to make his judgments politically compliant, was honored in 1988 by the Village Voice when he was listed as one of "New York's Finest" and by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund in awarding him for "Justice in Action."

Education and Teaching:
Anthony Tung is a graduate of the Cooper Union in New York City, receiving a Professional Degree in Architecture in 1972, and is a recipient of the school's Distinguished Alumni Citation—also serving as an alumni representative to its Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2000.

He has been a teacher in the Graduate Program of Management and Urban Professions at the New School for Social Research (1989), an instructor on architectural history at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1987-93), as well as a thesis advisor for the Historic Preservation Program at Columbia University (2004). His recent 12-credit seminar on international urban preservation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2006) attracted students in city planning, urban design, and architecture from both Harvard and MIT.

International Lecturer:
Tung has lectured widely on urban architectural conservation at such venues as:

• Yildiz Tecknic Universitesi, Department of Architecture, Istanbul, Turkey, 1995
• Municipal Department 19, Division for Planning, Vienna, Austria, 1995
• Technical University of Athens, School of Architecture, Greece, 1995
• Kyoto University, Graduate School of Historic Preservation, Japan, 1995
• Singapore Urban Development Authority, Singapore, 1995
• The Committee to Save the City, Charleston, S.C., 1997
• Goethe Institute of Mexico, Mexico City, 1998
• Municipal Art Society, New York, 2001
• National Building Museum, Washington, D.C., 2002
• The New School for Social Research, New York, 2002
• University of Toronto, School of Architecture, Ontario, Canada, 2002.
• Ontario New Democratic Party Policy Conference, London, Canada, 2002
• Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, symposium keynote, Saratoga Springs, 2003
• Spain/United States: Joint Policy Forum on Urbanism, Madrid, 2003
• Columbia University, Historic Preservation Program, New York, 2003
• State of New Jersey Conference on Urban Preservation, keynote, Trenton, 2003
• Los Angeles Conservancy, colloquium keynote, Los Angeles, 2003
• Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, 2003
• Williams College, Williams, Massachusetts, 2004
• Harvard University, MIT-Harvard Symposium on Urbanization in China, Cambridge, 2004
• Hamilton, Ontario, 2004
  – Provincial Conference on Urban Conservation, keynote
  – Workshop for preservationists
  – Ontario Province Ministry of Culture, consultation on pending legislation
• Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America, conference keynote, New York, 2004
• Heritage Canada Foundation Annual Conference, keynote and workshop, Saint John, NB, 2004
• Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2005
  – Downtown Halifax Business Commission, Carmichael Lecture on Urbanism
  – Workshop for preservationists
  – Luncheon talk with municipal leadership
• Florida Trust Annual Statewide Conference, keynote and workshop, Coral Gables, 2005
• University of Miami, School of Architecture, Coral Gables, 2005
• National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, leadership enclave, Charleston, SC, 2006
• New Orleans, LA, 2006
  – Vieux Carré Property Owners, Residents, and Associates, Morrison Lecture
  – Tulane University, School of Architecture, Koch Lecture on Urbanism
  – Luncheon discussion with preservation leaders
  – Rotary Club of New Orleans
• Baton Rouge, LA, 2006
  – Louisiana House of Representatives, testimony on pending legislation
  – Louisiana Senate, testimony on pending legislation
• State Historic Preservation Office, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2006
• Stadsherstel Amsterdam, Colloquium on Preservation, keynote, Netherlands, 2006

Periodicals and Media:
Tung’s writing on urban conservation issues has been featured in the New York Times, New York Newsday, The Toronto Globe and Mail, The Charleston Post and Courier, Architectural Record On-Line, Heritage Canada, and ICON Magazine: a quarterly publication of the World Monuments Fund.

He has appeared in a variety of radio and television broadcasts including WNYC, AM New York: "New York and Company with Leonard Lope" (October 2001, December 2003); WBAI, FM New York: "Behind the News with Matthew Finch" (November 2001); National Public Radio's "Public Interest with Kojo Nnamdi" (January 2002); and the Canadian Broadcast Company’s, “Maritime Noon with Costas Halavrezos” (October 2004 and January 2005).

Tony Tung is 59 years old and lives in downtown Manhattan with his wife, Janet Vicario, a painter and book designer. His father, George K.L. Tung, a former research chemist, was born in Shanghai, China. His mother, Rosemary Jones Tung, is the author of A PORTRAIT OF LOST TIBET (Thames and Hudson Ltd., London, 1980).