Recreate a future new city with AI! The call for entries for the first AI Future City Design Competition has been launched.
In 2025, AI, like a surging tide, rapidly penetrated into various fields and became an important force reshaping all industries and forms.
At the macro level, technologies centered around AI have become an important driving force for global technological competition. AI chips, AI Agents, and AI integrated with everything have made AI an important strategic resource.
While AI has brought earth - shattering impacts, it has also deeply penetrated into daily life and is redefining space, organizations, and cities. In the morning, it's the smart speaker that wakes you up. The home intelligent system will open the curtains and adjust the lights for you. After going out, AI software will plan your travel route. When you browse the news, the AI system will recommend information to you. When you start working, the intelligent office software will serve as your work assistant.
From traffic lights on the road, to the driving of new - energy vehicles, to the auxiliary diagnosis and drug research and development in the medical field, and to the logistics, distribution, and environmental monitoring that are spread across every corner of the city, AI empowerment not only improves the efficiency of traditional industries but also provides new solutions for urban governance, public services, and the improvement of living quality. AI is redefining the form of future cities.
Imagination of the future city
Standing at the moment of the outbreak of a new round of scientific and technological revolution in 2025, the first AI Future City Competition, the "Tuanbo AI Future City Design Competition", was officially launched!
This competition takes "AI Future City Combining Technology and Humanity" as its theme. Based on a 9487 - mu plot in the eastern area of Tuanbo Health City in Tianjin, it calls for submissions from designers in the fields of urban planning, architectural design, and landscape design at home and abroad, as well as teachers and students from relevant professional colleges. It encourages joint creation with practitioners and institutions from cross - professional and cross - disciplinary fields such as humanities, art, and technology, and solicits AI Future City space solutions that combine technology and humanity. Participants are invited to jointly think about the new paradigm of the future urban space system and innovation ecosystem driven by new AI technologies!
Tuanbo is located on the Tianjin - Xiongan development axis and is an important node for Tianjin to connect with the Beijing - Tianjin - Hebei region
Tuanbo Health City in Tianjin is located in Jinghai District. It is an important node for the southern development of Tianjin and a new functional leading area on the Tianjin - Xiongan corridor. The Tuanbo - Beidagang Wetland where the 9487 - mu plot project in the eastern area of Tuanbo Health City is located and the Baiyangdian Wetland are known as the "two kidneys" for the ecological security of North China, with natural ecological environment advantages. The 9487 - mu plot in the eastern area of Tuanbo has the conditions and necessity to build a new - type urban space suitable for future development.
Tuanbo is one of the "two kidneys" for the ecological security of North China
Competition Theme
1. The System Framework of the Future City
Various new technologies such as driverless driving, low - altitude economy, and robots have moved from the laboratory into the city, affecting people's living habits, behavior patterns, and the space, industries, and operation of the city. However, there are various incompatibilities between the current urban planning system and new technologies. Participants need to have a full understanding and research of new AI technologies (new technologies that will have an impact on the future urban space), propose the system framework of the future city, and explain the relationship between this framework and the technological system.
2. AI Future City Combining Technology and Humanity
Participants need to pay attention to combining technology and humanity. Based on the thinking about the future urban space, future urban industries, future urban population, and future urban life, as well as the relationship between the urban system, technological system, and philosophical, aesthetic, and social values, they should design a future city that integrates nature, technology, humanity, and aesthetics. The design should integrate new AI technologies into urban life and create a beautiful creative living scenario for urban populations such as future creative and entrepreneurial talents.
Imagination of the future city
Design Requirements
1. Build the System Architecture of the AI Future City
The design should fully reflect the application and innovation of new AI technologies in the future city. Integrate intelligent technologies into all aspects of the city, and conceive of an AI + future transportation system, AI + future community and living scenarios, AI + public facilities system, AI + industrial ecosystem, intelligent green energy system, smart infrastructure system, etc.
2. Construct a New - City Space Development Paradigm Driven by AI
Centered around artificial intelligence, explore multi - functional mixed spaces and flexible industrial forms. Participants should propose the spatial model of future urban life, encourage the mixed use of functions, such as integrating functions like residential, commercial, office, and entertainment. The design of the industrial area should consider the needs of future technologies, including open R & D spaces, shared office areas, and innovative enterprise incubators. Pay attention to the protection and optimization of the natural environment, and the design should incorporate elements such as green spaces, wetlands, and ecological belts to achieve a sustainable urban landscape.
3. Develop Future Living Scenarios and Innovative Business Forms
Participants need to take AI as the driving force to imagine the future urban lifestyle and propose innovative living, working, and entertainment scenarios. For example, create new cultural experience spaces, entertainment methods, and community service systems through virtual reality and augmented reality technologies to reconstruct people's daily life experiences. Encourage the design of future - oriented commercial and public business forms, such as intelligent commercial streets, digital social spaces, and future residential models, to promote the in - depth integration of business and lifestyle and meet the ever - changing needs of future society.
4. Combine the Natural Landscape of the Wetland in the Eastern Area of Tuanbo Health City to Propose a Characteristic Urban Space Form and Development Model
Participants need to deeply explore the unique geographical environment of Tianjin as a "land reclaimed from the sea", combine the natural characteristics of the wetland in the eastern area of Tuanbo Health City, and design an urban space form that conforms to the local natural and historical - cultural characteristics. In terms of the development model, avoid simply filling and developing. Participants should explore a development method that integrates wetlands, green spaces, and buildings, coordinate the centralized development land and low - density experience spaces, and achieve a balance in development and construction within a certain scale.
Design Scope
This competition takes the 9487 - mu plot in the eastern area of Tuanbo Health City as the carrier. The overall conceptual planning will be carried out with the north bordering on the South Road of Duliujian River, the east reaching the Rongwu Expressway, the south reaching the North Road of Zeshui, and the west reaching the east boundary of Zhongjun Yunjingtai.
Research scope
Among them, the 818 - mu starting area is the key area, adjacent to Tianjin Petroleum Vocational and Technical College. It includes a total of four blocks: Block 1 covers 272 mu, Block 2 covers 262 mu, Block 3 covers 56 mu, and Block 4 covers 228 mu. Conceptual urban design will be carried out in this scope.
Scope of the 9487 - mu plot
The research scope is the entire area of Tuanbo Health City, with the north bordering on the Duliujian River, the west reaching the Jinwen Road, the south reaching the Tangjin Expressway, and the east reaching the Rongwu Expressway, with a total area of 211.37 square kilometers. Participants can conduct overall research from aspects such as the coordination of the lake area's landscape texture and traffic routes.
Scope of the 818 - mu starting area
Registration Method
Log in to the website http://aicity.cbcuri.com to register and fill in detailed information. All participants should submit electronic works (including drawings and relevant documents). The email address for submitting works is: aicitycompetition@cbcuri.com. The email should be named "Work Name". The competition organizing committee does not accept any paper - based works. All participating works will be uniformly printed and displayed at that time.
This competition is mainly targeted at designers in the fields of urban planning, architectural design, and landscape design at home and abroad, as well as teachers and students from relevant professional colleges. It encourages joint participation with cross - professional and cross - disciplinary practitioners in fields such as humanities, art, and technology. Participants can register freely and compete openly. Participants are encouraged to use a variety of tools to assist in creativity and expression.
Registration deadline: 24:00 on July 15, 2025 (Beijing time)
Work submission deadline: 24:00 on August 15, 2025 (Beijing time)
Organizing Institutions and Jury Line - up
This competition is guided by the AI Future City Industry Branch of the China Society for Urban Studies, the Beijing Frontier International Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, and the Artificial Intelligence Special Committee of the China Association of Small and Medium - Sized Enterprises. It is hosted by the People's Government of Tuanbo Town, Jinghai District, Tianjin, Tianjin Bohai State - owned Capital Investment Co., Ltd., and Urban Renewal (Beijing) Holding Group. It is undertaken by Tianjin Shengda Asset Management Co., Ltd. and the CBC Urban Renewal Research Institute. 36Kr participates as a strategic cooperation media.
Jury Chairman: Yang Baojun, a national master of engineering survey and design, the director of the China Academy of Urban Planning, and the former chief economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban - Rural Development
Executive Chairman of the Jury: Huang Jingtao, a director of the China Society for Urban Planning, the director of the Tianjin Society for Urban Planning, and a professor at Tianjin University
Jury Members: Shen Chi, the deputy secretary - general of the China Society for Urban Studies and the executive president of the AI Future City Industry Branch of the China Society for Urban Studies; Peng Lixiao, the executive vice - president and secretary - general of the AI Future City Industry Branch of the China Society for Urban Studies and the chairman of Urban Renewal (Beijing) Holding Group; Li Yong, a tenured professor in the Department of Electronic Engineering at Tsinghua University, the director of the Urban Science and Computing Research Center, and a Changjiang Scholar of the Ministry of Education; Kuang Xiaoming, the chief planner of Shanghai Tongji Urban Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd., the dean of the Urban Design Research Institute, and a professor at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning of Tongji University; Zhang Yuxing, a researcher at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning of Shenzhen University, the founder and chief designer of ARCity Office; Luo Chaoliang, an expert in Tencent Cloud's smart city; Yuan Xiaohui, a senior expert at the Tencent Research Institute and the director of the Innovation Research Center; Li Qinghua, the deputy general manager of Tianjin Bohai State - owned Capital Investment Co., Ltd. and the executive director of Tianjin Shengda Asset Management Co., Ltd.; Shen Rui, the deputy general manager of Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd. and the executive director of the 6th Council of the Tianjin Society for Urban Planning