When people exercise, they are at the same time generating energy for the air purification system connected to the fitness facilities. Three chosen green plants produce fresh air while the indoor and outdoor PM2.5 levels are updated on the facade of the bubble.

"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."

Contact the writer at sunyuanqing@chinadaily.com.cn.

IF YOU GO

SMART CITY 2013－INTERNATIONAL DESIGN EXHIBITION

When: 10 am-4 pm, until Oct 13.

Where: China Millennium Monument Museum of Digital Art, 9A Fuxing Road, Haidian district, Beijing.

Contact: 010-5980-2315.