This September, international students at Donghua University (DHU) visited the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center to discover how urban planning shapes the city they live in. Before the visit, many students saw urban planning as something distant from their everyday lives. However, their perspectives changed as the tour unfolded.

Following an introductory session, the students, led by a guide, explored the themed exhibition areas, tracing Shanghai’s transformation over time, from its past development to its future plans. They discovered that the roads they walked on, the subway lines they used, and the parks they visited were all shaped by urban planning.

One of the most memorable experiences was the “15-Minute Community Life Circle” sand-table urban planning workshop in the Urban Lab area. Stepping into the role of urban planners, students worked together to design a community by deciding where to place schools, markets, and parks. The activity showed them that creating a livable and well-designed community required careful planning and consideration of residents’ needs.

After the visit, the students recorded vlogs to share what they had learned. They said they came to understand that urban planning is not just about maps and plans, but about the things that make everyday life easier.

One student said, “In the past, I did not see how urban planning had anything to do with me. But today, I realized that even a convenience store near where I live is the result of thoughtful planning.”

“The convenience we experience in Shanghai is not something that happens by itself. It comes from the careful planning and hard work of urban planners,” another added.

Students from different countries came together to explore how a city works and shared their understanding of “Better City, Better Life” from their own perspectives. Their firsthand experiences of Shanghai not only changed the way they viewed the city, but also became something they could share with others.

Source: Donghua University