From 26 to 28 September, Beijing becomes the center of debate on the most innovative trends and solutions of sustainable design, with the Sustainable Design China Summit, an event stemming from the experience of the forums of Design China Beijing.
Over 70 opinion leaders connected with design will be on hand (innovators of sustainability, political decision-makers and theoretical researchers, active in the fields of urbanism, architecture, environmental protection, fashion and consumer goods) to discuss an idea of design for the construction of spaces, cities and habitats on a global level, to foster harmony for human beings and the planet.
The summit covers six themes: “Designing a Sustainable World,” “Circular Design Thinking,” “Climate Changes Everything,” “On the Path to Net Zero,“ “Nature by Design” and “Building Sustainability & Green Design.”
Orianna Fielding, sustainability advisor of the event, says: “The Sustainable Design China Summit focuses on the environmental challenges we face by showcasing a range of cutting-edge innovative solutions to address the negative impacts of climate change and prevent ecosystem collapse. Creating new urban landscapes requires a comprehensive integration of architecture, natural landscape, urban planning, policy and culture; by integrating these elements, the cities and communities of the future can become spaces that meet all the needs of current and future generations.”
The guests taking part in the event include: architect Stefano Boeri; Robert Greenwood, partner and CEO for Asia of the international studio Snøhetta; Xu Yibo, China partner for Stefano Boeri Architetti; Paul C. Hutton, sustainability director of the firm Cuningham Group Architecture; the world-renowned consulting firm for urban development Shengyu Group; Allan Zhang, CEO of Rui’an Xintiandi Commercial Management Company, one of the leading sustainable real estate investment and management firms in China; Rao Hong, Chief Planner of ARUP China, part of the international engineering consultancy; Lou Yongqi, vice-president of Tongji University and member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering; Zhu Dajian, director of the Institute of Sustainability and Management of Tongji University.
The Special Features Panel for the event has been assigned to Chris Lefteri, author of Materials for Design, who will present Material Installation, an exhibition of over 100 material products for design. Lefteri explains: “The use of materials is at the heart of design, and the evaluation of environmentally friendly materials is multidimensional, based on the industry, product, life span, and expected recycling methods. The Sustainable Design China Summit provides an excellent opportunity to approach this complex topic.”
