On 31 March, 2022, UPDIS organized an virtual meeting with the Chief Architect Office of Barcelona City Council themed “Urban Design Practice.” During the meeting, Xavier Matilla, Chief Architect of Barcelona, Silvia Casorran, Deputy Chief Architect, and their team, along with UPDIS Vice President Shan Liang, Director Li Chen, and other department heads, engaged in an in-depth discussion on urban design practices of both Barcelona and Shenzhen.
 

During the discussion, both parties explored topics such as Shenzhen's high-density planning concepts, housing policies, pedestrian-friendly transportation, and the design of Qianhai. We also exchanged insights on traffic impact, funding sources, and implementation models of Barcelona’s “Superblocks” concept.
 

Both sides recognized our shared similarities and expressed interest to deepen future collaboration in planning concepts, design methods and other areas. Post-meeting, the Barcelona team sent a letter of gratitude to UPDIS for sharing Shenzhen's experience and expressed their anticipation for further in-depth exchanges.