Seventy UPC students participate in a summer school at Tongji University

Tongji University in Shanghai is the epicenter of a Summer School seeking disruptive ideas for the urban development of Fuxing Island. From June 24 to July 6, UPC students are immersed in an intensive programme aiming to design the "quantum city" of the future, focusing on the island's transformation.

The course began with an immersion into Shanghai's innovative scene. Participants visited the West Bund Art Center for the "Building Shanghai" exhibition, the technology company Meituan, and the permanent exhibition of the Yangpu district, "Shanghai People's City Practice Exhibition Hall," providing a comprehensive view of the city's urban and technological dynamism.

Fuxing Island: The Digital City Challenge

Shanghai, a constantly evolving metropolis, actively seeks global talent to build an advanced spatiotemporal digital twin system. In this context, Fuxing Island emerges as a key project: one of the most significant undeveloped urban areas now seeking a master plan to become a "quantum city."

The main objective of this Summer School is to contribute brilliant ideas for the revitalisation of Fuxing Island in terms of vitality, functional renewal, urban quality improvement, and smart digital innovation. Under the motto "Smart Digital Empowerment, Artistic Creative Design, and People-Centered City Building," students are working to position the island as a "Digital Island, Design Island, and People's Island."

Multidisciplinary Talent and Cultural Immersion

Selected students come from a wide range of disciplines, including planning, architecture, landscape architecture, art, digital intelligence, and business planning. They work both individually and in multidisciplinary teams, fostering collaboration and diversity of perspectives.

Beyond the intensive academic workload, the programme offers the opportunity to visit iconic Shanghai landmarks such as the Bund, Xintiandi, take excursions along the Pujiang River, or explore the Yu Garden.