Design Institutes and Design Studios. Cases of Permeability Between Teaching and Practice (Including Research)

The contribution describes an urban design teaching activity developed in the last eight years (2016–2023) at the top School of Architecture in China. Several Design Studios “Urban morphology, architectural typology, contemporary settlement patterns” has been held at the School of Architecture, in Southeast University Nanjing, China. One of the main features of the teaching activity has been the strong connection with the practice activities developed within the Design Institute of the same University, such as the Urban Architectural Lab, founded in 2006 as part of the historic Architects & Engineers Co. Ltd. of the same university. The role of the Design Institutes is specific of the Chinese context, where those public structures are the legacy of the process of collectivization of the professions promoted during the Fifties. The strategic role of the Design Institutes located in the universities allows nowadays not only high quality in design productions, but also the opportunity for students to face real topics of great complexity and to improve their competencies: in design as well as in socio-economic management. The aim of the contribution is also quoting some urban regeneration projects developed in Nanjing historical urban tissues where the connection between Design Institute and Design Studios was fruitful and strong, from the choice of the topic and the surveys to the exams involving stakeholders within the final jury.