Chongqing - When ZXMOTO's 820RR-RS crossed the finish line 3.685 seconds ahead of its nearest rival at the Portuguese round of the World Superbike Championship earlier this year, the gap represented about 307 meters at speeds nearing 300 km/h. Less visible was where the winning machine came from: Chongqing, southwest China, where it was designed, engineered, and track-tested by a local full-stack R&D team.
The production workshop of ZXMOTO in Chongqing. (Photo/Wang Jiaxi)
The project highlights how Chongqing is leveraging industrial design to advance high-end manufacturing. Since being named western China's first UNESCO Creative City of Design in October 2023, the city has been using design to drive industrial innovation, urban renewal, and cultural consumption.
In Fengjie County, the eyewear industry once relied heavily on contract manufacturing. Many companies produced glasses based on external drawings and brand orders, with limited design capacity of their own.
Contact lenses are produced at a factory in Fengjie County, Chongqing, on April 16, 2026. (Photo/Li Yuheng)
"In the past, we passively took orders and produced according to drawings. Without independent design capabilities, we had no pricing power or market voice," said a person in charge of Chongqing MUZIK Optical Technology.
Since 2023, the company has built its own research and design team, focusing on appearance, ergonomics, and functional optimization. It developed lightweight frames for teenagers, minimalist designs for business users, and scratch-resistant foldable products for outdoor consumers.
After two years of development, the company has formed a full chain covering design, research, production, and sales. It has accumulated more than 400 original designs across nine categories, with annual output exceeding 1 million pieces. Local authorities say the shift has helped Fengjie's eyewear sector move from low-end processing toward higher-value manufacturing.
Industrial design is also being applied across Chongqing's traditional manufacturing sectors, from intelligent vehicle cabins to consumer brands. Official data show that industrial design in Chongqing has driven more than 700 billion yuan (about 102.97 billion U.S. dollars) in corporate sales.
Design is also shaping the city's public spaces. In May, Tongliang's G-Time Humanities and Arts Center won a gold award at the French Design Awards. The project combines local cultural elements with ecological resources, using flowing architectural lines and open spaces to connect public functions with the surrounding landscape.
Residents watch a music and light show at Chongqing Art Park in Jiulongpo District, Chongqing. (Photo/Zheng Yu)
In Jiulongpo District, the former Chongqing Power Plant has been converted into Chongqing Art Park. The renovation followed a preservation-based approach. Instead of large-scale demolition, designers retained factory buildings, chimneys and other industrial features while adding lighting systems, exhibition halls, cultural spaces, and walking routes. The result is a public cultural space that preserves the city's industrial memory while supporting new urban functions.
Chongqing is also expanding its cultural and creative design. In August 2025, a “Luban Lock Globe” designed by the Chongqing Institute of Surveying and Mapping won an honorable mention in the physical map category at the 32nd International Cartographic Conference in Vancouver. The product combines traditional Chinese mortise-and-tenon craftsmanship, the Luban lock puzzle, modern map culture, and geography education.
The "Luban Lock Globe", a cultural and creative map product designed by the Chongqing Institute of Surveying and Mapping. (Photo/Chongqing Municipal Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources)
Chongqing now has more than 1,500 design companies, nearly 60,000 workers in the sector, 11 national-level industrial design centers, and 272 municipal-level centers.
An official with the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Economy and Information Technology said Chongqing will focus on deeper integration between design and manufacturing, including intelligent connected new energy vehicles, high-end equipment, and consumer goods. These areas are part of Chongqing's "33618" modern manufacturing cluster system.
The city also plans to expand digital design, including artificial intelligence design, virtual simulation, and cloud-based design, while strengthening international cooperation under its Global City of Design brand.