Easy does it: A look inside Beijing Design Week

International architects and urban planners are gathering today for the opening of Beijing Design Week. The assembled cast will share projects they hope will inspire their colleagues as China plans the future development of its cities.

One of the main themes explored at the design week - an event which will include forums, awards, talks, pop-up shops and fairs, along with more than 100 exhibitions and installations - will be "Design City, Smart City".

The New York Times Beijing Design Forum 2012, which will be held tomorrow, will feature an all-day discussion about building cities that are more environmentally friendly. It will discuss how to make better use of technology to make cities easier to live in and get around, while preserving their culture and identity.

Maria Wass-Danielsen, of Gehl Architects in Copenhagen, Denmark, will talk about ways to foster a bicycle culture in cities, which she says reduces carbon output and residents' transport costs. It also reduces traffic and decongests roads.

The mainland has a long standing bicycle culture. But Wass-Danielsen says large urban developments and new roads, along with an increasing number of cars, are making it more difficult for people to cycle around their cities.

"In new urban development areas, we have the chance to influence transport choice from the beginning. Large areas for residential use only, for example, will be car-dependent, as everything is far away. Urban structures should be mixed-use areas that have everything you need for daily life within walking and biking distance," she says.