By 2010 it is anticipated that half of China’s population will have moved from the countryside to the cities. The Chinese Government has recently presented Dongtan, near Shanghai, as their ecological showcase to the United Nations World Urban Forum, but what will tomorrow’s new Chinese city be?

Our key research concern was to design a more sustainable social and economic community and strike a balance between modernization and environmental preservation. The “ecological life-style” is a global concept, but Guangming Smart-city and its green sustainable policies have to be uniquely “Chinese”.

The new urban blueprint for Guangming Smart-city covering 7.97 km2 of Guangdong, China aims to preserve and enhance natural and cultural resources, expand the range of eco-transportation, employment and housing choices, and values long-term regional social sustainability over short-term focus. To prevent urban sprawl, the new city advocates compact land use patterns that are walkable and bicycle-friendly with mixed-use developments and a range of housing typologies for mixed incomes. Guangming Smart-city is a city driven by the principles of slow living, emphasizing a happy balance in life that is firmly rooted in the 21st Century. Slow living is fundamental to the success of this new city especially in the context of China’s current culture of speed; it will establish a unique character and lifestyle, setting Guangming Smart-city apart.

Guangming Smart-city is ecologically and economically self-sustaining. It uses innovative methods to recycle materials and harness renewable energies, minimises the use of non-renewable resources and implements zero energy building principles. It relates its inhabitants and employment strategies to the natural environment. It promotes technology that protects the environment, preserves culinary and local food production traditions and fosters a spirit of neighbourliness. This philosophy of sustainability will revolutionize the way people in China think about urban living.

This research was funded by the Chinese Government and was presented to a panel of design juries, local and national politicians, national planners, and community leaders. The presentations were open to public and reported on national television and newspapers.

Also, the proposal was the subject of a public conference with think-tanks consisting of urban planners, architects, traffic engineers, social anthropologists, mayors and environmental agencies from UK, Japan, Holland, Norway, USA, Hong Kong and China, chaired by Arata Izosaki and Rem Koolhaas. The issues raised will influence China’s environmental policy and have direct economic impact on the region’s ecological policy.