Fab City Foundation was invited to a co-creation symposium held during the Maker Faire Shenzhen on 11 & 12 November 2023, to collectively explore community enagagement strtegies in the revalitalization process of the Ancient Town of Nantou in Shenzhen.

A new groundbreaking initiative adapting methodologies of the Fab City Challenge was spearheaded by Seeed Studio with one of China’s largest real estate developers, Vanke’s sustainable Urban Development Research Center. This innovative system, called the Micro-city Advanced Perception and Decision-making Assistance System was created and implemented over a period of three months.

Daria from Vanke Urban Research guided 27 international participants through the historic lanes explaining the urban preservation, historical significance and cultural wealth of the Nantou. This adaptive reuse project supported by the Nanshan district government aims to breathe new life into the historic urban enclave through urban development strategies and technological innovation. 

In line with this, three IoT solutions were strategically deployed y Seeed Studio to monitor various aspects for urban ecological evaluations and weather-based decision-making – an environmental air and solar monitoring system, a soil condition monitoring system and a system for detection of waste collection and water draining. 

Recognizing the importance of community engagement in the revitalization process, Kate Armstrong, Strategy Director and Mitalee Parikh, Program Manager at Fab City Foundation were invited to share projects, strategies and valuable insights of community involvement from initiatives across the Fab City Network. 

The co-creation symposium held at one of the factory-turned-creative-hubs in Nantou, provided the space for introducing the Fab City Global Initiative and it’s PITO to DIDO approach of making cities centres of production in a globally connected network. Participants also discussed many potentials to optimize the technological solutions in Nantou and explore participation of the community. 

The Nantou revitalization project is exemplary in it’s multi-stakeholder and collaborative approach dedicated to preserving heritage, enhancing living conditions, and fostering innovation and design within the ancient town. For latest content on Fab City initiatives, follow the Fab City blog and Social Media.