SDGs+Beyond Future Society for Life Week
Greater Intelligence, Enhanced Artistry, and Stronger Compassion: The Future of Urban Regeneration
World Expo Museum
The event intends to highlight people, technology, space, and other crucial factors for future social development. It aims to explore how advanced concepts and values can be incorporated into urban development through varied forms of urban renewal, infused with humanistic care and high-tech means, to foster the sustainable development of cities across social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
Recorded video available
Discussion
- SDGs
- future society
- life
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | Provided |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | Japanese and English |
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Track Programme
- Time and
Date of
the event -
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2025.10.09[Thu]
18:00 ～ 20:00
(Venue Open 17:30)
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- Venue
- Theme Weeks Studio
Programme details
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The event will particularly focus on fostering exchanges and interactions between the cities of Shanghai and Osaka. The plan involves inviting renowned architects, curators, planners, from China and Japan to deliberate on strategies and methods for promoting sustainable urban regeneration in the complex and evolving future society through urban comparative studies and the sharing of practical cases.
Reports
【Reflection】
On October 9, 2025, the World Expo Museum and the Shanghai Urban Planning & Design Research Institute (Shanghai Urban Space Art Season, SUSAS) jointly hosted the Expo Theme Week programme titled “Greater Intelligence, Enhanced Artistry, and Stronger Compassion: The Future of Urban Regeneration.”
The event brought together renowned architects, curators, and planners from China and Japan to explore strategies and approaches for promoting sustainable urban regeneration in a complex and ever-changing future society through comparative urban studies and real-world case sharing.
In her opening remarks, Ms. LIU Wentao, Director of the World Expo Museum, noted that the Expo and the city are deeply intertwined, with the hosting of each Expo often exerting a direct influence on urban planning. She emphasized that Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, with its mission to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals, serves as an ideal platform for such dialogue and exchange.
Mr. WU Jiang, Professor of Architecture and Urban Planning, Former Executive Vice President of Tongji University and Chair of Academic Committee of SUSAS, delivered a keynote speech titled “Opening Waterfront Entirely to the Public”, showing how Shanghai has transformed the industrial areas along the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek into vibrant public spaces for everyone to enjoy.
From a perspective of cross-border collaboration, Mr. SUNADA Tetsumasa, Global Design Group Director of Design Supervision Division at Nikken Sekkei, shared insights from the company’s participation in the project of the West Bund Media Port in Shanghai.
Artist and curator Mr. GAO Youjun (Tango) delivered a speech titled “The Urban Lubricant: Smooth Connections Between People and Cities,” in which he shared how art can make cities feel warmer and more human, showcasing his creative projects that bring people and urban spaces closer together.
Mr. MASUI Shinichiro, President of Code-a-Machine and Director of “Osaka Art & Design,” shared his experience participating in projects of the SUSAS, and through the examples of the city-wide roaming-style event “Osaka Art & Design”, presented Osaka’s unique approach to revitalizing communities through culture in urban regeneration.
Mr. GAO Changjun, Curator of the 2025 Shanghai Urban Space Art Season and Executive Curator of the 2023 edition, took the SUSAS as an example to analyze the differences and similarities between Chinese and Japanese approaches to urban renewal from an “event-driven regeneration” perspective.
During the interactive panel discussion moderated by Ms. Deng Yuanye, Editor-in-Chief of Wallpaper*China, the speakers engaged in a lively exchange on topics such as the sustainable design inspirations drawn from Expo 2025 Osaka pavilions and the most valuable shared experiences between China and Japan in urban regeneration.
This cross-national dialogue brought together diverse insights on sustainable urban development and built a bridge for mutual learning and future collaboration in global urban regeneration. It allowed the spirit of the Expo to continue inspiring cities as they work together toward a more sustainable and vibrant future.
【Post EXPO Initiatives】
Building on the success of this event, the organizers would like to further expand global collaboration and exchange on sustainable urban regeneration beyond Expo 2025 Osaka. The World Expo Museum will continue to explore the close relationship between World Expos and urban development by collecting, documenting, and promoting outstanding cases and innovative practices from around the world.
These achievements will be shared in future Expos through various formats, highlighting how the spirit of the Expo continues to inspire cities toward a more sustainable, inclusive, and creative future.
Cast
Moderator
Deng Yuanye
Huasheng Media
Editor-in-Chief of Wallpaper*China, Partner of Atelier Youyi
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Speakers
LIU Wentao
Director of the World Expo Museum
LIU Wentao is the director of World Expo Museum and also the Vice Chairman of the Exhibition Exchange Committee of the Chinese Museum Association. She served as deputy director of Shanghai Museum, deputy director of Nanjing Museum, assistant director of the Palace Museum (one-year posting). She has various significant roles in museum administration and cultural exchange, contributing to the development and promotion of museum exhibits and cultural heritage in China.
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Jiang WU
Tongji University
Mr. Jiang WU, Hon. Fellow of AIA, Member of Academy of Architecture France, President-elect of ARCASIA（Architects Regional Council of Asia）Vice President of the Urban Planning Society of China and President of Shanghai Urban Planning Society, Chairman of the Institute of Architectural Education of Architecture Society of China. He is also the Chief Editor of Architecture Asia, the chairman of the editorial committee of Time+ Architecture. He was educated in China, got his degrees of Bachelor, Master and Doctor from the College of Architecture and Urban Planning in Tongji University. From 2003 to 2009, Wu was the deputy Director General of Shanghai Municipal Urban Planning Administration Bureau. He has be working in the fields of urban historical conservation and urban regeneration for decades and published 15 books and more than 120 articles. In 2021, Wu was honored with the Chevalier Order of Art and Literature by French Government.
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Sunada Tetsumasa
Nikken Sekkei Design Supervision Division Global Design Group Director
After graduating from the Master's Program at Nihon University in 1994, he joined Nikken Sekkei. Specializing in architectural design, he has been in charge of buildings across a wide range of fields, including educational institutions, R&D facilities, offices, commercial spaces, hotels, and religious facilities.
His works have been recognized with numerous honors: selected for the Japan Institute of Architects (JIA) Excellent Architecture Selection, included in the Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) Works Collection, and awarded the Children's Design Award, among others.
He has a strong interest in the potential of urban architectural environments to enhance people's psychological comfort.
He holds the qualification of First-Class Registered Architect and is a member of both the Japan Institute of Architects (JIA) and the Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ).
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Shinichiro Masui
Code-a-Machine President, Osaka Art & Design Director
After graduating from Kyoto University with a degree in Architecture, he began his career assisting contemporary artists like Kenji Yanobe and Chu Enoki. He later served as a project manager at UMA/design farm, a graphic design company, and has designed numerous commercial and exhibition spaces across Japan and China. In 2018, he co-founded Code-a-Machine, an art and design consultancy, with Kodama Kanazawa in Shanghai, and established its Japanese branch in 2021. He currently serves as the Director of Osaka Art & Design, a position he has held since 2024. He is now based in Kyoto.
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Tango Gao
Artist/Curator
Tango Gao, also known as Gao Youjun, is a Chinese artist and cartoonist known for his witty and insightful illustrations. He gained popularity on social media platforms like Weibo and Instagram for his unique style and humorous take on everyday life and social issues. Tango's illustrations often feature simple, minimalist designs with clever wordplay or cultural references, and have been published in various books, magazines, and exhibitions around the world.
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Gao Changjun
Tongji University
PhD, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University
Executive Curator, 2023 Shanghai Urban Space Art Season
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Co-organiser
Shanghai Urban Planning & Design Research Institute (Shanghai Urban Space Art Season)
SDGs+Beyond Future Society for Life Week
Greater Intelligence, Enhanced Artistry, and Stronger Compassion: The Future of Urban Regeneration
The event intends to highlight people, technology, space, and other crucial factors for future social development. It aims to explore how advanced concepts and values can be incorporated into urban development through varied forms of urban renewal, infused with humanistic care and high-tech means, to foster the sustainable development of cities across social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
-
2025.10.09[Thu]
18:00～20:00
(Venue Open 17:30)
- Theme Weeks Studio
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.
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SDGs+Beyond Future Society for Life Week
