Design on life

Baitasi is another old courtyard area in Beijing that will undergo regeneration. The developer of the project says the transformation will take three to five years.[Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/China Daily]

This year, there is the Humble Hostel project by architect Cao Pu, which converts a crowded yard into a hostel. There are lights and tableware products inspired by local craftsmen, and fashion and design concept stores around the area.

"Design Hop was initiated as a way for the general public to know about design and to be interested. Now it has developed into a platform for more people to participate in their own ways," says Chen Dongliang, another BJDW organizer.

Dutch designers continue to join forces this year, showcasing their creative power through the exhibition The Nurturing House by Next City Living Lab. The exhibition explores the future of city through architecture models, installations and even cuisine created by Dutch and Chinese architects and designers.

BJDW features Dubai and Seoul as its guest cities this year, following the presence of Barcelona, Milan and Amsterdam in the past. The Dubai guest city exhibition will feature some of the most cutting-edge design works from the country.

Across Chinese Cities－Beijing, an exhibition on the urban evolvement in Beijing co-curated by BJDW's creative director Beatrice Leanza, was on show at the 2014 Architecture Biennale in Venice. A new exhibition will be presented at the 2016 Architecture Biennale, as part of BJDW's effort to promote China's cultural assets on the global stage.