Cre8Place Lab

Cre8Place Lab

Cre8Place stands as a pioneering research laboratory, which capitalises on the international perspectives and interdisciplinary expertise housed within the Department of Urban Planning and Design at XJTLU.

Cre8place embraces three fundamental concepts: We believe these concepts are essential for navigating the complexities of the contemporary urban world.

  • Creation is what distinguishes humanity from other living beings. To create means to transform the world and make it a better place. In co-creation, different stakeholders converge and share ideas, and the outcome holds greater value.
  • The symbol “8” represents infinity and continuous regeneration, which is in our contemporary world. With profound symbolism, “8” signifies opportunities and prosperity.
  • Place encompasses the notion of placemaking, a cornerstone of urbanism which promotes social and environmental sustainability, meeting the needs of inhabitants and creating a sense of place.

Mission

Regenerating places and communities is the main goal of our research lab. Cre8Place aims to explore the evolving dynamics and emerging challenges of urbanisation and combines real-world observation with imagination to propose adaptive solutions. We endeavour to design and redesign the built environment to meet different users’ changing needs while aligning with global sustainability goals and fostering socio-economic development.

Cre8Place represents a flow of research and design energy and embraces interdisciplinary methodologies and digital innovations to address every facet of regeneration. We formulate micro and macro strategies, experiment with nature-based interventions, repurpose neglected spaces, integrate multiple cultures, histories, and behaviours into the urban-rural fabric and promote co-creation initiatives.

Our mission is to unleash the transformative power of design thinking, crafting inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable cities through collaborative place-making endeavours.

Vision

Challenging entrenched narratives of development and exploring the enabling conditions of regeneration projects define Cre8Place. Our journey commences with fundamental research inquiries:

  • How can physical spaces in everyday life reclaim significance amidst pervasive digital dominance?
  • How can urban regeneration achieve tangible social, economic and environmental enhancements over the short and long terms?
  • How can co-design, co-creation, and co-production methodologies facilitate urban regeneration?
  • What urban elements foster creativity, community interaction and cultural richness?

Components

The components of the Lab form a team of both design thinkers and doers and encompass a dynamic array of competencies, experiences and design approaches. We collaborate closely with PhD students, postgraduate and undergraduate students, industrial partners, local governments and other stakeholder groups. Collectively we shape Cre8Place Lab into a dynamic research-driven teaching hub.

Our Projects