URBAN Transformation

Contemporary cities, driven by economic imperatives, have profoundly disrupted the ecological balance of urban life. The outdated frameworks of urban planning and architectural thought have largely overlooked radical design explorations that respond to the complex environmental transformations occurring within biological systems.

This workshop challenges these conventional approaches by experimenting with new formations of urban design. It explores how organic processes can be layered onto existing contexts, seeking strategies for design that engage both natural systems and the built environment. Through this lens, participants investigate how architecture and urbanism can evolve beyond static models to embrace dynamic, regenerative design practices.

By rethinking the relationship between cities and their ecosystems, the workshop expands the contemporary image of the city and strengthens the understanding that urban conditions can directly influence microclimatic processes on a planetary scale. This exploration encourages a shift from object-based urbanism toward an ecological design mindset, empowering designers to consider cities as active agents of environmental transformation.

3 PROCESSES of DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

PROCESS 01: BUILD a RHINO MODEL of CITY of SHANGHAI

PROCESS 02: BUILD a PHYSICAL MODEL of CITY of SHANGHAI

PROCESS 03: NEW DESIGN MODEL of CITY of SHANGHAI