To break down institutional and regional barriers, an open, inclusive, and dynamically evolving international learning environment needs to be created. Moreover, cross-university resources should be integrated to build a globally connected innovative education platform. To achieve these goals, the School of Architecture and Design at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Tongji University jointly launched the “Imprint Twin Cities” International Summer School.
This summer school brought together over 50 faculty members and students from institutions such as Politecnico di Torino, Politecnico di Milano, Università di Pisa, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Universidad de Sevilla, Pacific National University (Russia), and the City University of Hong Kong. The two-week program was successfully completed in Harbin and Shanghai from June 30 to July 11.
Opening Ceremony
On June 30, the opening ceremony took place in the 111 Multifunctional Hall of the School of Architecture and Design at HIT. The attendees were as follows: Xu Ping, the Vice Dean of HIT’s Undergraduate Academic Affairs Office; Sun Cheng, the Dean of HIT’s School of Architecture and Design; Zhang Peng, the Vice Dean of Tongji University’s College of Architecture and Urban Planning; Dong Wei, the Vice Dean of HIT’s School of Architecture and Design; Francesco Novelli, the Executive Deputy Director of Politecnico di Torino’s China Center; Ramón PlCO, the Dean of Universidad de Sevilla’s School of Architecture; Riccardo Barsotti, the Head of Università di Pisa’s Joint Doctoral Program; Eulalia Gomez Escoda, the Vice Dean of Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya; and Marco Voltini, a professor at Politecnico di Milano. Professor Zhang Yu hosted the ceremony.
Representatives from the partner institutions gave speeches. These included Francesco Novelli, Eulalia Gomez Escoda, and Riccardo Barsotti. Elena López also spoke, representing the organizers, instructors, and students.
Cutting-Edge Lecture Series
During their time in Harbin, the participants attended lectures given by well-known scholars. These scholars included Professor Jian Kang from University College London, Professor Eulalia Gomez Escoda from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Professor Cossima Cornado, Professor Riccardo Barsotti from Università di Pisa, Professor Marco Voltini from Politecnico di Milano, and Professors Paloma Pineda and Sara de Giles from Universidad de Sevilla. The lecture topics were diverse, covering soundscape technology for urban renewal, computational structural analysis, and architectural and landscape design for European urban regeneration.
In Shanghai, professors from Tongji University, namely Wu Jiang, Niu Xinyi, and Ye Yu, presented their cutting-edge research. The research areas were heritage preservation and urban renewal, spatial dynamics using big data, and the integration of artificial intelligence with design and science. These sessions led to in-depth discussions among students and faculty.
Field Trips & Laboratory Visits
From July 1 to 2, the participants in Harbin paid visits to the university’s laboratories, the HIT Aerospace Museum, and the university history museum. They also explored historic neighborhoods, including the Chinese Baroque District, Harbin Grand Theater, and Central Street. By doing so, they gained insights into the city’s unique development challenges and opportunities.
On July 10, guided by Associate Professor Li Yingchun from Tongji University, the participants carried out field studies in Shanghai’s Bund Historic Area and Old City Area. Through on-site observations, they traced the historical features of Shanghai’s ancient city walls, rivers, streets, and alleys. They also reviewed the evolution of landmarks such as the Chenghuang Temple-Yuyuan Garden area.
Project Presentation and Discussion
On July 11, the closing presentations and evaluations took place in the Zhongting Auditorium of Tongji University’s College of Architecture and Urban Planning. Professor Wang Yi, the Chair of Tongji’s Architecture Department, and Associate Professor Li Qing from the Urban Planning Department acted as guest commentators.
Four student groups presented their findings under the theme “Decoding Genes, Reimagining Futures.” Their collaborative projects tackled the contemporary challenges of climate change and cultural heritage preservation in the context of global urbanization. The projects offered innovative interpretations of the cultural genes and development trajectories of Harbin and Shanghai. Each group showed their research, analysis, and design results and engaged in in-depth exchanges with the panelists.
Following the presentations, awards and certificates were given to the participants. Professor Zhang Peng from Tongji University and Professor Zhang Yu from HIT delivered the closing remarks.
Group 1
Heritage: (Re) Vitalizing the Courtyard
Group Members
Carlos Romero Algaba, Andrés Soto Domínguez, Valeriia Chuikova
Keiwen Fang, Lu Chen, Michael Gutierrez Toro
Instructors
Francesco Novelli, Liang Xiaoxu, Luo Zhaoyang
Group 2
Rivernasance: Bring Waterside Life Back to Downtown
Group Members
Jaime Carrero-Blanco Quero, Elena López Ortiz
Weidi Li, Élia Martí i Sancho, Yihan Yu
Instructors
Marco Voltini, Zhang Yu
Group 3
Live with Climate
Group Members
Fernandez Perez Isabel María, Rubio Del Rio Raul, Surikov Gurgenishvili Kseniia, SurikovFulin Liu
Instructors
Eulalia Gomez-Escoda, Cossima Cornado, Yu Tingting
Group 4
Interactive Installation Design for Harbin Central Street
Group Members
Wang Xinyu, Guo Minqi, Zhou Yuxin, Wu Jun, Yihan Dong Hong
Roberto Gálvez Montilla, Leonid Goloseenko, Cheng Ho Goh
Instructors
Sara María De Giles, Paloma Polomo, Guo Qi
Closing Remarks
The first-ever “Imprint Twin Cities” International Summer School aimed to tackle the interrelated challenges of cultural fragmentation and climate change in the process of global urbanization. Centering on Harbin and Shanghai, two cities of great historical significance, the program established a transnational, cross-regional, and interdisciplinary research platform.
It promoted discussions on urban morphological genes across different time periods, including the past, present, and future, and re-envisioned humanity’s common cultural heritage. This initiative lays the groundwork for the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.
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审核：吴婉琼