Program overview
Urban design focuses on designing public spaces like streets, squares, parks, and neighborhoods to be both beautiful and functional. Unlike architecture, which zeroes in on individual buildings, or urban planning, which handles large-scale layouts, urban design works at the "meso" level—how a block is organized, how a waterfront invites people, how an old district gets revitalized. Core courses include urban design principles, spatial morphology analysis, landscape design, transportation and urban design, and digital tools (e.g., GIS, Rhino, Grasshopper). You'll also pick up basics in sociology and economics, because good design requires understanding human behavior and market logic. Who is this for? If you enjoy drawing, modeling, are curious about city life, love strolling through streets to observe details, and don't mind data analysis, this major will suit you. Chinese universities offer unique advantages: many involve students in real projects—like old city renovations or new district developments in Shanghai, Shenzhen, or Chengdu—giving you hands-on experience with fast urbanization. Tongji University, Southeast University, and Tsinghua University have deep expertise in this field, and international students can join cross-cultural design projects.