Design a better life

The Necomimi headband attracts children.

"This pilot is made to demonstrate how we can change our air quality with the help of public participation," Fei says. "Before the government can pull off effective measures, we contribute what we can. Here, design is no longer a concept, it can solve the most urgent problems in life."

The Smart City section explores how the data provided by citizens can be used to solve urban issues like transportation, energy and safety.

The Beijing Traffic Congestion Map by Wang Zuchao, a PhD student from Peking University, shows the congestion patterns in Beijing in an intuitive way. Different colors indicate the various levels of congestion to give the drivers a clearer picture of the road condition.

For the past 30 years, Chinese cities have been trying to contain their residents amid rapid expansion. However, the feelings of the residents have been largely neglected, says Huang Yan, director of Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning.

"We have been proving that we can survive in the past. Times are different now. We will focus on city dwellers in the future. That's why we should learn from European cities like Amsterdam, they have always cherished the value of the people in the city," Huang says. Amsterdam is the guest city of the Beijing Design Week 2013.

China is known as the testing ground for the world's boldest design ideas, however, that is likely to change in the future, Huang says.

"Landmarks and eye catchers were what we wanted. Now, we want designs that make our cities more livable and our life better," Huang says. "And that's why we are going to work with designers from Amsterdam more closely than before."

Related: Beijing Design Week's gift: making ideas a reality

The Eco Air Bubble improves air quality.