The DRG 2025 competition brings together global design schools, professionals, and experts committed to sustainable and resilient urban futures. The competition was organized by the South China University of Technology (SCUT), Guangzhou. It invited proposals for regenerative design solutions to address climate and urban challenges on Changzhou Island, China. The competition’s theme was ‘A Tale of an Island on the Pearl River.’
About the Project:
The students’ proposal reimagines Changzhou Island as an amphibious, regenerative landscape — one that embraces seasonal flooding rather than resisting it. Through a triadic design framework involving a reactivated canal spine, closed-loop productive landscapes, and a flood-adaptive public realm, the project aims to merge ecological restoration with community resilience.
The design targets both residents, who face infrastructural vulnerabilities, and tourists, offering an untapped opportunity to support the island’s economy. Rooted in modularity, material circularity, and participatory engagement, the intervention acts as both a spatial prototype and a tool for climate adaptation.
