The World Design Cities Conference 2025 is set to take place in Shanghai from Sept 25 to 28.

As a core functional area for the event, Yangpu district will launch the "Yangpu International Design Festival," featuring the 2025 Pan-Tongji Design Week series, two AI-themed touring exhibitions showing design works that blend digital intelligence and artistry, and an unveiling ceremony.

Jointly organized by Tongji University and the Yangpu District People's Government, the Pan-Tongji Design Week is one of the world's most influential platforms for design innovation and a landmark in region-institution collaboration.

This year's Pan-Tongji Design Week, a key component of WDCC 2025, will focus on intelligent innovation, exchange and cooperation, and sustainable development under the theme of "New Ecosystem", presenting the future role of design.

The Design Week comprises eight major events across multiple venues, including the Yangpu Riverside and Tongji University.

Unveiling ceremony

River Heart: City Academic for Engineering Technology Science

Date: Sept 23

Venue: City Academic for Engineering Technology Science, Yangpu Riverside

AI-empowered Health Interaction Technology and Design

The center will serve as a hub for top global talent and cutting-edge research institutions, driving international academic exchange and advanced technologies. Located at No 1430 Yangshupu Road, it aims to integrate technological innovation and industrial upgrading, creating a new model for urban development.

Forums

AI-empowered Health Interaction Technology and Design

Date: Sept 21

Venue: College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University

Six experts from institutions including The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Guangzhou, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Donghua University, and two universities in Amsterdam will share interdisciplinary insights on how AI is expanding the boundaries of health design.

NICE2035 Global AI + IP Innovation Conference

Date: Sept 28

Venue: 3F, People's City Practice Exhibition Hall, Yangpu Riverside

As a core forum of Design Week, the conference is themed "Technology Empowering Cultural Brands to Drive Global Value Chain Advancement". It will explore the integration of AI and brand ecosystems. It aims to build a new model of mutual empowerment among cities, universities, brands, and individuals, while showcasing Yangpu's role as a national sci-tech innovation pilot zone.

The Future of Creative Industries: Integration of Physical and Virtual Realities under AIGC

Date: Sept 28, 9 am to 12 noon

Venue: 10F, Yangpu Wisdom Square

Scholars from Jiangnan University, Zhejiang University, Donghua University, University of Macau, Southern University of Science and Technology, and South China University of Technology will explore AIGC's impact on art design, smart technology, industrial applications, and education through keynote speeches, case studies, and roundtables conducted online and offline. The event will highlight product and service innovation, technology-driven model transformation, and the establishment of a creative ecosystem. It aims to foster dialogue on frontier concepts and real-world applications while building a platform for global academic and industrial exchange, exploring the future and sustainable development of AIGC-driven design.

Sustainable Fashion Forum: Designing for Green Ecosystem

Date: Sept 28, 1:30 pm to 3 pm

Venue: 10F, Yangpu Wisdom Square

This forum explores the intersection of conservation and creation, presenting fashion as a medium for ecological awareness and green responsibility. Inspired by the beauty of butterflies, it invites reflection on coexistence and the meaning of beauty.

Workshop

3D-Printed Footwear Design and Manufacture Workshop

Date: Sept 26 to Oct 12

Venue: College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University

As digital manufacturing reshapes the footwear industry, this workshop combines new materials, smart production, and sustainable design. Collaborating with Bambu Lab, a leading company in 3D printing and innovative materials, Tongji University seeks to inspire young designers to explore future applications in sports, lifestyle, and sustainability through a platform that blends industry, academia, and research.

Exhibitions

Cross-Strait and Hong Kong-Macao College Student Chinese Character Creative Design Conference

Date: Sept 15 to 30

Venue: College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University

This event encourages students to showcase the traditional heritage and contemporary vitality of Chinese culture through innovative design. Outstanding entries are featured in themed exhibitions, seminars, and curated displays.

Parallel and Interwoven: The Bilingual Order of Contemporary Chinese Typography

Date: Sept 15 to 30

Venue: College of Design and Innovation, Tongji University

Focusing on the interplay between Chinese and Latin scripts in contemporary typography, this exhibition examines how designers create visual harmony or rhetorical contrast between two systems. Featuring over 100 curated works, it highlights how media and technology are driving new approaches in China's contemporary graphic design and visual communication.

 

Sources: Yangpu district government, official WeChat account of Tongji University Design and Innovation College at "tongji_di"