From December 10 to 16, 2024, faculty and students from the Innovation Design Institute of the City University of Macau participated in the "Seven Senses · Maritime Silk Road" Guangzhou Yuexiu · Asia Joint Urban Design Workshop held at the Changgang campus of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. This event was co-organized by the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and the Yuexiu District Government of Guangzhou, aiming to promote exchanges and cooperation in cultural heritage, urban planning, and innovative development across regions along the "Belt and Road Initiative."

This workshop brought together participants from the following renowned institutions: the School of Architecture and Art of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Paris-La Villette (France), the Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies (India), the Hanoi University of Civil Engineering's School of Architecture and Planning (Vietnam), Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Architecture (Thailand), the School of Urban Design of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the School of Architecture and Environmental Art of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts of Shanghai University, the School of Architectural Arts of Guangxi Arts University, and the City University of Macau.

As one of the co-organizers, the Innovation Design Institute not only showcased its academic strength in the field of regional culture and urban development but also highlighted Macau's active role in international cultural exchanges. The workshop specifically selected the Guangta and Liurong neighborhoods (the Maritime Silk Road Community) in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, as research case studies. Divided into five groups, participants conducted research and discussions. These areas contain nearly 30 historical and cultural heritage sites, serving as a convergence point for the historical heritage of Guangzhou Port, the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road.

The delegation from the Innovation Design Institute of the City University of Macau was led by Assistant Professor Liu Jing and Ms. Connie, consisting of three PhD students in design and three master’s students in design. Together with other renowned domestic and international design experts, scholars, and outstanding students, the team delved into the balance between urban development and cultural heritage preservation. They explored innovative approaches to protect and revitalize historical buildings and neighborhoods. Over the seven-day workshop, by integrating the concept of seven sensory experiences into research methods, they made creative contributions to the preservation and revitalization of these areas.