Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in early July, on December 30, Wenzhou University, Politecnico di Torino, Italy-China Architectural Forum, and Wenzhou Design Group held a forum via the video link themed “Urban Regeneration: China-Italy Cooperation in Post-epidemic Era”. Participants include Xiang Zhifeng, Chief Architect of Wenzhou Design Group, Li Xiaobo, Director of the Wenzhou Second Institute of Architecture, Wang Xueran, Director of the Wenzhou Institute of Construction and Planning; Heads of the College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, International Relations Office of Wenzhou University, Michele Bonio, Rector’s Delegate for Relations with China, Politecnico di Torino, Carlo Ostorero, Professor from College of Architectural Engineering, Corrado Carbonaro, Professor from the College of Architectural Design, Pier Giorgio Turi, Chairman of the Italy-China Architectural Forum, and Director Roberto Fraternali. The forum was moderated by Chen Ming, Chairman of the China-Italy Youth Association, and the venue of the Chinese side was set in Wenzhou Design Group.

The forum contained three sessions. The first session was about the cooperation between Turin and Wenzhou in the construction industry and academic fields. Xiang Zhifeng expressed his hope that through cooperation with the Italian team, the latest urban construction concepts could be applied to the construction of Wenzhou City, and a new model of university-industry be explored. Then, Liu Qingsong, party secretary of the College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wenzhou University and Zheng Ting, deputy director of International Relations Office, contributed their views of enhancing the cooperation in staff and student exchange study, academic collaboration, etc. between the two universities. They also talked about government-sponsored study abroad fund and the preparation of Wenzhou Architectural Design Academic Month with preliminary intentions reached. 

The second session focused on the urban regeneration strategy for the historical center. Professor Corrado Carbonaro and Director Roberto Fraternali shared the Italian experience in combining historical culture and modern elements through case studies. In the third part, three designers from Wenzhou Design Group, namely, Chen Yangfan, Chen Chen, and Zhang Liang, elaborated on the ongoing the three projects "Wenzhou Dongyu Industrial Creative Park Project (Phase II)", "Jiefang Street North Section", and "Reconstruction of Historical and Cultural District in Ningcun Village", and received the comment and suggestions from the Italian experts. 

The forum also identified the cooperation goals of the four parties in 2021, and reached preliminary cooperation intentions in the fields of staff visit, expert lectures, reconstruction of industrial heritage and historical & cultural district.