City University of Macau (CityU) and Macao Urban Planning Institute (MUPI) recently organized the “Macao Urban Planning Seminar 2024: Strategies, Paths and Challenges for Walkable City’” to discuss the crucial aspects of creating a walkable city. The seminar, held at the Ho Yin Convention Centre, Taipa Campus, brought together leading experts, scholars, and government officials from key organizations in Macao and neighboring regions.
Attendees included representatives from the Macao SAR Government Land and Urban Construction Bureau, Housing Bureau, Macao Government Tourism Office, Guangzhou Urban Planning and Design Survey Research Institute, Zhuhai Institute of Urban Planning and Design, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, and The Hong Kong Institute of Planners, and students from Master of Urban Planning and Design program. Together, they engaged in discussions on cutting-edge strategies, implementation pathways, and challenges in building a pedestrian-friendly urban environment. The seminar was moderated by Teng Kai On, president of the Board of Directors. Rector Jun Liu and Chui Sai Peng, MUPI Chairman delivered speech.
In his speech, Rector Jun Liu emphasized that “walkable cities” prioritize pedestrian experiences, making walking not only an environmentally friendly mode of transportation but also a crucial means to improve urban quality of life, promote health, and reduce environmental pollution. He highlighted that the importance of well-planned strategies, implementation pathways, and societal engagement to create a safe, comfortable, and convenient walking environment, fostering a more vibrant and human-centric urban space, promoting sustainable urban development, enhancing the city’s image, and improving residents’ quality of life.
Chairman Chui Sai Peng, in his address, noted that Macao’s unique blend of Chinese and western cultures make it a perfect city for walking. He emphasized the need to optimize the pedestrian system and enhance the connectivity of the transportation system to align with Macao’s positioning as a world center of tourism and leisure and to meet the residents’ mobility. This seminar, focused on pedestrian transportation, explored strategies, pathways, and challenges in building a “walkable city.” Through sharing of the case studies and practices from Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, the event helped industry professionals broaden their thinkings and develop pedestrian network tailored to Macao’s development goals, and provide valuable insights and advice for the city’s sustainable development from an urban planning perspective.
Yang Bo-sin, honorary professor at The University of Hong Kong, presented successful practices in planning and development of a walkable cities. He showcased the practical application of enhancing walkability in transportation planning through the pedestrian design of the coastal city view platform in Hong Kong.
Zhang Weiping, dean of the Zhuhai Institute at the Guangzhou Urban Planning and Design Survey Research Institute, presented some best practices for slow-walk pedestrian design in the Greater Bay Area. He highlighted the crucial role of enhancing the quality of public spaces and emphasized the importance of adopting a people-centric philosophy in street improvements.
Yu Bin, deputy chief planner of the Zhuhai Institute of Urban Planning and Design, presented the current development and experience in building a walkable Zhuhai. He also shared forward-looking planning strategies aimed at enhancing walkability in the city.
Yang Huajie, an assistant professor in CityU’s Faculty of Innovation and Design (FIAD), presented his empirical study on cross-border commuting activities. He shared insights from his research and proposed solutions to enhance the Zhuhai-Macao cross-border commuting experience, drawing on perspectives from urban planning and business management.
Han Haoying, a professor in CityU’s Faculty of Innovation and Design (FIAD), presented new ideas on street vitality and travel choices, empowered by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
During the discussion and exchange session, faculty and students actively engaged in lively discussions on the hot topics in constructing the “walkable cities.” The successful hosting of this symposium not only showcased CityU’s academic influence in urban planning but also served as a crucial platform for promoting academic exchange and collaboration. This event enhanced the academic level of both faculty and students, providing valuable learning opportunities for students specializing in urban planning and design. It helped them understand the frontier of urban development, laying a solid foundation for their future academic research and career development.
Source: Faculty of Innovation and Design
