The 5th International Conference on Brownfield Regeneration and Ecological Restoration

Source: Center for Brownfields Research; THU Brownfield Research

01 Conference Overview

The 5th International Conference on Brownfield Regeneration and Ecological Restoration will be held from October 6th to 10th, 2025, at the Tsinghua University China-Italy Design Innovation Hub (CIDIH) in Milan, Italy.

Guided by the Chinese Society of Landscape Architecture, the conference is co-hosted by the Center for Brownfields Research at the School of Architecture in Tsinghua University , the World Green Design Organization (WGDO), and the School of Architecture, Urban Planning and Construction Engineering in Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy（to be confirmed）.

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of China–EU diplomatic relations, the conference adopts the theme “Creative Capital: the Rise of Arts and Design in Brownfield Regeneration”. Actively responding to the "China-EU Green Action" initiative, it aims to establish a multidisciplinary, international dialogue platform. Focusing on the innovative role of arts and design in brownfield regeneration, the event will center on three core topics: Heritage, Culture, and Identity. It will invite leading scholars, artists, and designers worldwide to share interdisciplinary practices and explore how artistic interventions revitalize industrial heritage, how cultural narratives empower placemaking, and how design innovation reshapes urban and rural identities. The conference seeks to advance brownfield regeneration from technical remediation to the co-creation of social value, injecting new momentum into China-EU green cooperation and deepening the green partnership.

The conference has established dedicated channels for both paper submissions and applications to the International Green Design Award; further details are provided below.

Milan, the cradle of the Italian Industrial Revolution and a hub of European manufacturing, boasts a rich industrial heritage. Since the 19th century, iconic industrial clusters such as the Pirelli Tire Factory (est. 1872) and Alfa Romeo Automobile Factory (est. 1910) have flourished here. The city also gave birth to Crespi d’Adda, a UNESCO World Heritage “factory-town” utopia. Today, these industrial legacies are being revitalized through creative regeneration: a part of former Pirelli Bicocca factory has been transformed into the Hangar Bicocca cultural complex, and the former Alfa Romeo Portello site has become Parco Portello, an ecological park—both serving as Milanese paradigms of arts and design-driven brownfield transformation.

Parco di Portello（Source: Jiechen Liu）

We gratefully acknowledge the support of media partners, including Chinese Landscape Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Landscape Architecture Frontiers,  Landscape Architecture Academic Journal, Landscape Architecture and Sustainability, and ArchiDogs.

We cordially invite you to attend the “2025 5th International Conference on Brownfield Regeneration and Ecological Restoration”!

Note: This conference will not be livestreamed. Selected presentations may be made available as video replays with the speakers’ consent.

02 Schedule (To be updated)

October 5th (Sunday): Registration at CIDIH, Milan, Italy

October 6th – 7th (Monday–Tuesday): Conference sessions

October 8th – 10th (Wednesday–Friday): Site visits

03 Invited Speakers (To be updated)

04 Call for Papers

We warmly invite experts, scholars, and young professionals to submit their work. Accepted submissions will be showcased primarily through academic posters, with outstanding works selected for oral presentations at the conference.

Submissions are divided into two categories:

(1) Research Track: Focusing on academic studies and theoretical exploration.

(2) Project Track: Focusing on practical projects, design outcomes, or technological applications in the fields of brownfield regeneration and ecological restoration.

Important Note: If you plan to apply for the International Green Design Award, please submit under the Project Track. Project-track abstracts accepted by the conference will receive priority recommendation for the award.

1. Submission

Submission Topics (including but not limited to):

(1) New interpretations and practices of brownfield heritage

(2) Diverse expressions and dissemination of brownfield culture

(3) Mechanisms and innovations in constructing brownfield identity

(4) Ecological reconstruction of industrial nature

(5) Interdisciplinary technologies in soil remediation

(6) Climate-responsive strategies and ecological resilience in brownfield regeneration

Submission Materials:

(1) Abstract (in English)

Research Abstract/Project Description (200–500 words, 3–5 keywords).

(2) Personal Info

Name, affiliation, title, email, and research area.

(3) Core Research/Design Outputs (JPG format)

For research submissions, provide 1–3 images; no presentation board is required. For Project Track submissions, board specifications are flexible, though using a single A0 sheet is recommended.

Please compress files into a .rar or .zip package named “Research/Project Submission-Name-Title” and send to brownfield@tsinghua.edu.cn, with the email subject “Name-2025 brownfield conference”.

Feel free to compress additional details of your research or project work into a separate archive (.rar or .zip) and attach it to your submission. This may include, but is not limited to, the full paper, complete design package, or project reports. Please specify whether the material is a thesis, a published / accepted paper, a completed built project, a competition-winning entry, or others.

2. Submission Deadline:

(1) Abstract/full paper submission: by 20:00 (Beijing Time), June 30th, 2025.

(2) Notification of acceptance: by 24:00 (Beijing Time), July 5th, 2025.

(3) Accepted authors are NOT exempt from registration fees.

05 International Green Design Award - Call for Entries

Established by the World Green Design Organization (WGDO), the International Green Design Award recognizes outstanding products, technologies, and projects that advance green design and sustainable development worldwide. Since its inception, the award has attracted leading figures and innovators across industries, becoming a key driver of progress in the green design field.

Link: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/DSEKvh7q1x9YXEVCBJQjIw

During this conference, the submission portal for the International Green Design Award will open simultaneously, focusing on exemplary projects in brownfield regeneration and ecological restoration.

How to Apply

1. Prepare Your Submission:

A bilingual (Chinese & English) application, including:

       • Project/Product/Technology overview

       • Core outcomes and supporting materials

       • Applicant/Team information

Please compress all documents into a single .rar or .zip file named “2025 Brownfield Conference - Green Design Award Application – [Applicant/Team Name]” and send to info@wgdo.net with the same email subject as file name.

2. Evaluation

An expert panel convened by WGDO will assess entries on innovation, sustainability, societal impact, and practical feasibility.

3.Deadline

All applications must be received by 24:00 (Beijing Time), 31th July 2025. Late submissions will not be considered.

4. Announcement & Ceremony

Shortlisted entries will be announced during the conference,  and on-site presentation opportunities will be provided during the conference for shortlisted projects with attendees present. Award Ceremony will be held at the WDGO Annual Conference Brussels Summit of World Green Design Forum; final details will follow in a WGDO Secretariat notice.

Benefits for Winners

Award-winning projects receive an international certificate, extensive promotion on WGDO’s global platform, and direct access to high-quality industry resources and investors—accelerating real-world adoption and commercialization of their innovations.

06 Registration & Fees

Registration does not include travel, meals, or accommodation costs.

Conference + site visits fee does not cover travel, meals, or accommodation.

Notes：

(1) Conference capacity: 60 participants; Site visits: 25 participants, on a first-come, first-served basis.

(2) Payment should include your name, phone number, “Brownfield 2025,” and affiliation (e.g., “Zhang, San, 182XXXXXXXX, Brownfield 2025, Tsinghua University”).

(3) Email payment proof, invoice info, and contact details to brownfield@caa.edu.cn, subject: “Conference Registration + Name + Phone”. Confirmation will be emailed within 48 hours.

(4) E-invoices will be sent within 7 days after the conference; no paper invoices will be issued.

(5) Payment accepted via Alipay QR code.

(6) Use the official “Tsinghua University Payment of Utilities and Services” only; do NOT transfer funds to personal accounts.

Important Notice:

The Organizing Committee will issue an official invitation letter for the conference. Before registering and paying the fee, please confirm with your institution whether this letter can be accepted as supporting documentation for an Italian visa application and for reimbursement purposes.

07 Contact

Email: brownfield@tsinghua.edu.cn

Phone: Ms. Pi, +86 18911564772

Address: Department of Landscape Architecture, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China

For questions about the International Green Design Award application, please contact:

World Green Design Organization (Belgium) – Beijing Representative Office, Ms. Wu, +86 157 2735 7507

For updates, please follow “THU Center for Brownfields Research” and the “Department of Landscape Architecture, Tsinghua University” on WeChat.