(Hong Kong, 19 March 2026) The Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design organised the HKIUD Urban Design Conference 2025" Happiness and Well-being in Urban Design: Shaping A Healthy and Resilient City" today (19 March 2026, Thursday) and officiated by Ms. Winnie HO, JP, Secretary for Housing, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Note: The Conference was originally scheduled on 28 November 2025, but was deferred to 19 March 2026 due to the fire tragedy in Tai Po in November 2025.
The Conference has invited a number of internationally renowned urban design experts and academicians from China, Finland, Canada and Japan and attracted more than 600 delegates from the Mainland, Macau, overseas and local professions. Under the theme "Happiness and Well-being in Urban Design: Shaping a Healthy and Resilient City”, HKIUD united professionals from both local and international backgrounds, as well as Government departments and Organizations, to discuss innovative strategies and visions that prioritize the human experience in urban environments. Through keynote speeches and panel discussions, local and international urban designers and specialists shared best practices, case studies, and visionary ideas illustrating how urban design can transform cities—especially Hong Kong—into happier, healthier, resilient and more sustainable places to live, to work and thrive. By prioritizing well-being in urban design, we can cultivate communities that not only survive but also thrive, ultimately leading to a more joyful urban experience for all.
Mr. Benny CHAN, President of the HKIUD, highlights the key takeaway of HKIUD Urban Design Conference as being that, “For too long, success in Hong Kong was measured primarily in quantitative terms: GDP, income, building and infrastructure volume completed, etc. While these metrics are important, they are not the ultimate goal. The true purpose of a city is to serve the people within it: to nurture their well-being through building a healthy and resilient city, and spark happiness in their daily lives.
The promulgation of the Well-being Design Guide by the Housing Bureau in 2024 was a timely and crucial step for our city. This comprehensive, interdisciplinary guide addresses our quality of life by covering health, sustainability, age-friendliness, inclusiveness, community connection, and the preservation of our collective memory and urban identity. These are precisely the areas that affect our well-being and are core to the practice of urban design.
Of course, design is just one factor influencing our sense of well-being and happiness. Many other elements are equally critical. That is why we have also invited a diverse group of skeynote and panel speakers—from the academia, development, economics, urban management, social science, environmental psychology, and the arts sectors — to share their expertise today. Their generous sharing of views and knowledge should have sparked inspirations among participants, on how we can build a more resilient and happier city that take care of the well-being of people”.
Guest of Honour, Guests, Keynote speakers, Facilitators and Speakers of the HKIUD Greater Bay Area Urban Design Conference 2025 include:
Keynote Speech by Guest of Honour (GOH)
Topic: Keep Smiling ... and Let it Spread!
Ms. Winnie HO, JP Secretary for Housing, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Overseas speakers
Topic: Urban happiness - How to develop socially sustainable environments that promote health and wellbeing?
Prof. Marketta KYTTÄ Professor of Land Use Planning, Aalto University, Finland
Topic: Immersive, Outstanding, and Outrageous Public Spaces & Urban Activations
Mr. Marcial JESUS Founder / CEO of 100architects
Topic: Building a joyful and inclusive city through community engagement and intersectoral collaboration
Dr. Paty RIOS Senior Public Space Stewardship Planner, City of Vancouver
Topic: Wellbeing-Based Urban Design and Management
Prof. Takehiko NAGUMO Professor of Keio University and Kyoto University Representative Director at Smart City Institute, Japan
Topic: Happiness in Cities: A Global Ranking and Analysis
Dr. Shun WANG, Senior Associate Professor International Business School Suzhou (IBSS), Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University
Local Speakers
Topic: Lee Gardens – A Place for ALL
Ms. Winnie WONG General Manager, Projects of Hysan Development Company Limited
Topic: Design for Life
Prof. Yung Ho, CHANG Dean of the Faculty of Architecture & Chair Professor of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong
Topic: Building a Joyful City: Opportunities and Challenges in Urban Renewal
Ar. Donald CHOI Managing Director, Urban Renewal Authority Past President of HKIUD