On 16-17 March 2023 The Greater Bay Area Urban Design International Conference took place in the South China University of Technology in Guangzhou, China.

The conference aim was to promote the continuous exploration, innovation and communication of urban design in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The conference theme was “Urban Design for a Sustainable Future: Innovations on Concept and Paradigm for the Ideal City".

The conference discussed a variety of innovative methods and pathways for high-quality devel- opment of the living environment and urban construction of the GBA under the following sub- themes:

• Urban Design for a Sustainable Future: Innovations on Concept and Paradigm for the Ideal City
• Model Cities and sustainable urban design
• Urban renewal and heritage conservation
• Urban fabric and health
• Future urban design and technological innovation
• Enhancing urban waterfront experience
• Urban Refinement Management

The GBA total area is around 56 000 km2 and a total population in 2023 of over 86 million people. The development of the Greater Bay Area is accorded the status of a key strategic plan- ning project in China's development blueprint. Once the GBA development is complete, the ex- pected total length of infrastructure, economy and human resource is expected to be larger than the European Union. In order to manage this urban growth, critical issues such as the coexistence of differing institutional systems and interplay between state planning and market economy need to be carefully balanced. A series of guidelines have been put in place for how the GBA should be developed.