Urbanization initiatives and infrastructural investments have been the primary drivers of China’s economic growth and social transformation for decades since the launch of economic reforms by the central administration in the 1980s. High-speed rails, highways, new towns, and monumental structures are trademarks of China’s modernization. Chinese society is standing at crossroads again, and it is crucial to understand how China’s development model might shift and to what extent it would influence the built environment of the world’s largest urban nation.

This LIV examined China’s evolving cities and society through the lenses of architecture, planning, and urban technologies. It explored how urbanization and large-scale developments have reshaped the physical and social environments of cities and neighborhoods; how new paradigms and practices have emerged in planning and development; and, the new national directives toward sustainable development and decarbonization.

Students visited Shanghai and Shenzhen, China’s economic powerhouses, to compare their divergent paths of urban and economic development. The focus of study was how emerging technologies are driving urbanization and urban regeneration in these megacities. As they grapple with challenges such as aging populations, declining revenue, climate change, and shifting lifestyles, these cities are actively adopting new technologies like advanced mobility, digital twins, and green infrastructure.

LIVs took place in China in March 2025 and March 2024. Photos are included from both years.

This LIV explored transnational innovation and collaboration between France, Germany, and Switzerland. Although featuring distinct heritages and languages, the three neighboring countries are focused on creating and sustaining a common space characterized by a vibrant exchange of ideas and culture. The unique area is nestled between the Jura Mountains on the Franco-Swiss border, the Black Forest in Germany, and the Vosges Mountains in France. Geographically divided by the Rhine River and steeped in history, which at times was highly turbulent, this flourishing region in the heart of Europe strives to remove borders and barriers that existed for centuries. It is known for its pioneering trinational collaborations and innovations in education, politics, industry, economy, mobility, and sustainability. This forward-looking approach fosters an ecosystem for entrepreneurship and innovation, which has proven highly beneficial for the area’s residents.

During the LIV, students studied trinational initiatives aimed at forging even closer ties between the populations of the three countries for example, creating a common education and research space and developing seamless cross-border transport systems powered by renewable energy sources. One of the key questions students investigated is how this region managed to become an economic powerhouse built on distinct national cultures and preferences.

Students visited various key sites and companies that illustrate how transnational, albeit regional, collaboration can lead to competitive advantages rather than economic disadvantages. In discussions, talks and guided visits, students examined how France, Germany, and Switzerland must collaborate on various political levels, while operating under different policies and regulations, in order to overcome challenges that result in part from the fact that Switzerland is not one of the 27 EU Member States. Students also had the opportunity to expand their knowledge in history, art, and European affairs during visits to the three main cities Basel, Freiburg, and Strasbourg as well as to the enchanting Alsatian town of Colmar.