ILA&UD (International Laboratory of Architecture & Urban Design) was founded in 1976 by the renowned Italian designer Giancarlo De Carlo (RIBA gold medal). It is a prestigious design workshop that happens regularly in multiple locations across the globe.

During its activity, this “place where continuous research is performed”, drew participants from all over the world, to compare and challenge their ideas and their work, explore theoretical themes and draw up projects along lines of common interest. ILA&UD has always celebrated the diversity of its participants and has never imposed any ideology or dogma like in any other traditional school or institution

The workshop, organized by Prof. Paolo Ceccarelli, Prof. Tiziano Cattaneo, Prof. Sandro Rolla and Prof. Erik Bjornsen, took place in the XTower in Putuo District in Shanghai and saw the participation of more than 40 students from Tongji University, Xi’an Jiatong Liverpool University, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Xiamen University Tan Kah Kee College, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Polytechnic of Milan and Sapienza - University of Rome. The theme of the architecture workshop was the regeneration of a dismissed Lilong block on Changshou Road in Shanghai that underwent profound social and urban transformations.

The students were engaged in a 4 days marathon of lectures, intensive collaborative design work and participative review sessions in a pure ILA&UD style workshop aimed at defining holistic solutions for the community.

The participation to the workshop was coordinated by Dr. Eugenio Mangi and supported by the Head of Department, Dr. Ali Cheshmehzangi, and the Architecture Course Director, Dr. Hiroyuki Shinohara – active participants of the review sessions in Shanghai - and the Vertical Design Studio Tutors.