Study on the Implementation Effectiveness of Urban Design from the Perspective of the Chief Designer System:A Case Study based on Guangzhou

LI Minzhi; XUAN Yingbiao; ZHANG Man

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1000-0232.2025.11.008

Abstract：As a public policy instrument and technical tool for managing the built environment,urban design plays a critical role in facilitating the improvement of urban spatial quality and the construction of human settlements.As China's urbanization enters a phase focused on stock enhancement and quality improvement,urban design implementation faces growing challenges,including difficulties in dynamic coordination,complexities in balancing multiple interests,and heightened demands for quality control.In response,the Chief Designer System has emerged as a coordination mechanism with demonstrated value in cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen.However,research on its operational mechanisms and implementation effectiveness remains limited both domestically and internationally,resulting in a poor understanding of its institutional mechanisms. Hence,this study proposed an analytical framework for evaluating the effectiveness of urban design implementation from the perspective of the Chief Designer System.It assesses the effectiveness of urban design implementation by combining theoretical and empirical approaches from dimensions of physical elements(completeness)and non-physical elements(satisfaction).Analysis of physical elements focuses on the transmission efficacy of control elements at macro,meso,and micro spatial levels,covering the realization of overall urban design objectives,shaping of key districts,and execution of detailed design.Non-physical elements systematically evaluate the effectiveness of interest coordination by measuring the satisfaction levels of three stakeholder groups:private sectors(developers and investors),public sectors(government agencies),and community representatives(residents). An empirical analysis was conducted using three representative cases under the Chief Designer System in Guangzhou.The Guangzhou International Financial City pilot zone adopted a Consultant Chief Designer model,establishing a two-tier control system of"macro-level blueprint and plot-level design guidelines"to bridge top-level planning with on-ground implementation.The Pazhou West District implemented a District Chief Designer System,incorporating design guidelines into land leasing documents and establishing a multi-stakeholder coordination platform to shift from unilateral control to collaborative governance.The Baiyun New Area introduced a District Planner System,developing a full-cycle,fine-grain management model that advances control from spatial formation to functional enhancement. The findings reveal four innovative strategies during implementation of the Chief Designer System:1)efficient coordination of macro-micro designs—the design intent is translated effectively through a hierarchical control system;2)equal emphasis on rigidity and flexibility—it realizes dynamic optimization under the premise of maintaining regulatory baselines;3)emphasis on dynamic process control to guarantee implementation of design intent during construction;and 4)a multi-stakeholder collaboration mechanism to balance the interests of different parties effectively.These strategies play an important role in implementing urban design and offering both theoretical and practical references for refining urban design management systems. The proposed evaluation framework overcomes the limitations of traditional research that emphasizes physical elements.Moreover,a comprehensive evaluation system that considers spatial quality and social benefits was established.A comparative study of three typical cases in Guangzhou verifies the framework's adaptability across different institutional forms and practice contexts,providing references for other cities or regions to analyze implementation effectiveness.As a significant innovation within the urban design system,the Chief Designer System shall be further studied to facilitate more refined,quality-oriented urban design development in China.