Social Innovation Perspective on Regional Design and Sustainable Development Research

Abstract

In today’s world, the development of regional industries and cross-regional cultural integration have brought about environmental damage and cultural erosion. However, there are many shortcomings in the research and countermeasures for the problem, especially in China. The greater participation of the whole society in innovative regional design has a huge impact on the sustainable development of the region. This research aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding framework for regional design and strategic guidance for future research directions and practical paths. We adopted the methods of a literature review and a case analysis to discuss the importance of social cooperation in social innovation from the perspectives of cultural inheritance, community participation, industrial upgrading, and brand building. Based on Professor Kiyoshi Miyazaki’s “Human Culture Land Production Landscape” resource integration model, combined with specific regional goals, five major design domains have been constructed to address five issues. In specific regional design practices, participatory design, value co-creation, and resource integration design methods have been applied. Research has found that these theoretical and practical paths have achieved good results and played a positive role in promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG9 and SDG11).

1. Introduction

In the 21st century, the relationship between social innovation and collective actions aimed at addressing “social needs and problems” as well as tackling real-world challenges has become central to the concept [1]. Social innovation (SI) has been found to be highly effective in addressing a range of sustainability challenges [2]. Regional development is an integral part of sustainable development. Simply put, design is one of the driving forces behind societal and national progress, and regional design plays a critical role in promoting regional development. Design is an inherently human-centered activity, and effective regional design must involve the participation of the local community, i.e., the regional society. Design is also fundamentally innovation-driven, a fact increasingly recognized in recent years. For example, in a recent global CEO survey (Cooper, 2016), 53% of respondents agreed that research and innovative technologies yield the greatest returns in fostering successful stakeholder engagement. This percentage highlights the critical value of innovation as a driving factor. Design with social participation inherently pursues social innovation [3].

From the perspective of social innovation, regional design not only protects and inherits local culture but also promotes ecological balance and social welfare, providing practical pathways for achieving long-term sustainable development. Humanity is rapidly entering a highly interconnected and data-driven era. At the same time, the conflict between cultural diversity and homogenization is becoming increasingly intense. The uniqueness presented during the transformation of social structures requires design to keep pace with social development, and the changes in social structures also necessitate corresponding changes in design to better adapt to current societal needs. “The findings indicate a decline in indigenous plant species due to the transition from traditional to market-oriented agriculture, significantly affecting the socio-cultural fabric of the communities [4]”. Similar issues have been repeatedly documented in the literature, necessitating widespread attention and action from society. A multidisciplinary search using “Cultural erosion” as the keyword in the Springer electronic journal database across fields such as social sciences, cultural and media studies, science, humanities and social sciences, sustainable development, anthropology, ecology, and environmental anthropology yielded 304 highly relevant articles. Regional design serves as a means to preserve and promote local cultural characteristics, which requires a foundation in indigenous culture while continuously innovating to adapt to the changing times. Social innovation provides new perspectives and tools for regional design, enabling it to better serve social needs and address social issues, injecting new vitality into local economic and cultural development. The transformation of population structure, urban–rural structure, and lifestyle in China has propelled the shift in design towards service-oriented, long-term, and innovation-driven models [5]. This trend has led to a renewed understanding and evaluation of the social value and impact of design, particularly in its role in promoting regional sustainable development.

Building on this understanding, it is important to critically assess the existing research landscape in the field of regional design. While prior studies have laid a strong foundation, they also highlight certain trends and gaps that warrant further exploration. For instance, a review of the recent literature reveals that most studies focus on specific cultural groups or individual design elements. One such example is research on the color design of Yi ethnic traditional women’s clothing, which systematically documents and analyzes cultural color characteristics, offering valuable design references for relevant cultural groups [6]. However, such research trends expose notable limitations. Many studies remain confined to isolated cultural elements or specific regions, lacking interdisciplinary integration and a comprehensive regional analysis. Furthermore, much of the current research prioritizes short-term design innovations without systematically evaluating the long-term impacts of regional design.

Currently, based on Professor Kiyoshi Miyazaki’s “People-Culture-Place-Industry-Scenery” resource integration model, five key issues facing the development of regional design were identified through literature research and theoretical deduction:

• Q1: How do we establish harmonious relationships between people and objects, people and nature, and among objects and nature in regional design?
• Q2: What strategies can be employed to create meaningful spaces within the context of regional design?
• Q3: In what ways can design contribute to industrial development and pattern innovation from a social innovation perspective?
• Q4: How can we address the unbalanced development of regional brands in China?
• Q5: How can designers actively explore and build new social structures to promote the development of social relations in design?

These questions have become central to the discourse in the design field and have garnered attention from various social forces.

Based on the above pre-study and problem setting, a complete research framework was defined for this project (Figure 1). This project first theoretically explores the relevant theories of social innovation and design, finding their core ideas and methodological points to guide the practice of regional design. It sorts out various issues and relationships, using a variety of methods to form a complete research system, including three aspects: theoretical research and construction, case investigation and design practice, and theoretical reflection.

Subsequently, using a comparative analysis method of theory and practice, it analyzes and studies related cases from the perspectives of Chinese traditional creative thinking, place construction, industrial development, regional branding, urban–rural relations, and design methods. On this basis, it empowers regional development from multiple dimensions, creates unique regional and cultural IPs, revitalizes traditional cultural resources, and organically integrates commercial, cultural, and social values to form a systematic design-driven model.

2. Literature Review

This study focuses on the interaction between regional design and sustainable development from the perspective of social innovation. It further explores how participatory design, value co-creation, and the “people-culture-place-industry-scenery” resource integration model can be integrated into regional design practice, promoting social cooperation and sustainable development. Sustainable development, social innovation, and regional design are interwoven concepts that provide essential insights into addressing regional and global challenges. Exploring these theories reveals their mutual reinforcement, particularly in driving initiatives that balance cultural heritage, environmental sustainability, and economic growth.

Participatory design and value co-creation offer practical pathways for fostering collaboration among stakeholders. These approaches prioritize inclusivity and innovation, enabling solutions that reflect both local priorities and broader sustainability goals.

2.1. Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations

The concept of sustainable development, rooted in the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, serves as a fundamental pillar of regional design.

The concept of sustainable development originated in 1980, first proposed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its “World Conservation Strategy [7]”. The strategy emphasized the importance of studying the basic relationships in nature, society, ecology, economy, and the use of natural resources to ensure global sustainable development and respond to the rapid deterioration of the global ecological environment [8].

The traditional understanding of sustainable design is a design concept that upholds the idea of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, maintaining the balance and stability between humans and nature through using environmentally friendly materials and sustainable use methods while ensuring economic benefits and development [9]. In a broader sense, it not only focuses on the relationship between humans and nature but also covers the sustainability of society, economy, culture, etc.

In the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which encompasses 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is evident that the concepts of sustainability and design occupy a central role in addressing many of the world’s current challenges. The principles of sustainability and the actions of design have permeated and impacted production and life in countries around the globe. In various design fields such as systemic design, health design, inclusive design, lifestyle design, regional design, social design, and immaterial design, elements and functions of sustainable design are embedded. Modern innovative design can effectively advance the realization of these goals, particularly Goals 9 and 11, which focus on “Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure” and “Sustainable Cities and Communities”. Liu Xin categorizes sustainable design into four stages: green design, ecological design, product–service system design, and inclusive design [10]. For instance, innovative design can enhance industrial efficiency and reduce resource waste; urban and architectural planning can create greener, healthier, and more inclusive community environments. Sustainable design aims to innovate at the systemic level, shape new lifestyles, and propel society towards a more sustainable trajectory.

Social innovation, which focuses on addressing societal challenges through collaborative and innovative practices, is another critical dimension of regional design.

The concept of social innovation can be traced back to 1921 when Wolfgang Zapf first proposed it. Ji Guangxin and Bian Tao proposed that social innovation refers to the independent or collaborative innovative use of various social resources by the government, enterprises, and society to solve social problems or meet social needs in a new way or means [11].

Innovative design aimed at changing human society can be called “social innovation design [12]”. It is a participatory design in which multiple stakeholders synergize to promote the background of social development, facing multi-dimensional and multi-level social needs, with design thinking and design methods [13].

Ezio Manzini pointed out in his book “Design, When Everybody Designs” that “social innovation design is not only design with social responsibility; it needs to serve not only disadvantaged groups but also the general public, whether it is the elderly, immigrants, or office workers. As long as people participate in the process of solving daily problems and ultimately propose solutions that are different from the usual, they are engaged in social innovation design [14]”. IDEO believes that in the process of social innovation design, design thinking can be divided into three steps: identifying problems, generating ideas, and implementing solutions, which helps us better understand the deeper needs of users for services and products [15].

Under social reflection and criticism, design has turned to focus on social innovation, sustainable development, and environmental protection. In the process of promoting innovation and social integration and driving the development of human welfare, design has gradually shown a huge and positive function [16]. The value orientation of social innovation lies in the meaning of design for the “future”, not that “the future” has been designed, but the role and value that design plays for the “future [17]”. For instance, against the backdrop of the European regional “Smart Specialization Strategy”, the “Open Innovation 2.0 Paradigm”, based on the “Quadruple Helix” model as a fundamental implementation approach, is beginning to rise; it is “a new generation of open innovation paradigm characterized by integrated collaboration, co-creation of shared value, and innovation ecosystems [18]”. The value of social innovation design is not only in bringing together various stakeholders, enhancing the overall efficiency of society, and fostering its sustainable development. It also lies in applying a fresh perspective to gain insights into social problems, assisting various sectors in breaking through established frameworks and patterns, and identifying the keys to sustainable development with innovative thinking.

“An important research avenue relates to the development of a holistic view of a system innovation as a ’portfolio of innovations’ that can be a driver for sustainable development”. “Furthermore, such a systematic and integrative understanding of social innovation may contribute to the effects of specific innovation initiatives for coping with global challenges (e.g., SDGs, Grand Challenges) [1]”.

Regional design, as an application of sustainable development and social innovation, emphasizes the integration of local cultural and environmental contexts into design practices.

In the broad field of sustainable design, regional design plays an extremely important role. Wu Liangyong believes that if regionalism is regarded as an objective characteristic in a certain space and time, then regionalism refers to the tendency to actively adapt to the natural environment and historical and cultural conditions of the region during the design process [19]. The use and refinement of regional resources are specifically manifested in the extraction, application, or derivation of elements such as natural forms, architectural shapes, patterns, and regional materials, and the extension of the meanings of elements such as customs, rituals, and folktales [20]. Its essence is to advocate an approach that comprehensively considers regional factors and properly integrates these factors with scientific and technological elements into the design.

Traditional culture also provides a continuous stream of spiritual nourishment for contemporary regional design. Based on local culture, traditional creations focus on the interconnection between people and objects, people and nature, and objects and nature, establishing an ecological chain between people, objects, and the environment, which is consistent with the values of “unity of heaven and man” and “following the natural order” proposed by Laozi (founder of Daoism and author of the “Tao Te Ching”) and Zhuangzi (a prominent Daoist philosopher who expanded on Laozi’s teachings) [21].

Under the current requirements of China’s new rural construction, it is necessary to build a harmonious coexistence development living environment between people and nature based on respecting the local natural environment, and at the same time, it is necessary to root in the local production and lifestyle, explore and construct a local culture and agricultural product brand with regional characteristics, and create a regional characteristic ecology [22]. Xiong Minghua believes that regional brands have the following characteristics: external strengthening, improving operational efficiency, and promoting the formation of regional competitive collectives. In addition, it can enable operators within the region to share public resources and achieve collaborative effects of organizations and services [23].

2.2. Methods and Approaches in Regional Design

Participatory design and value co-creation offer practical pathways for fostering collaboration among stakeholders. These approaches prioritize inclusivity and innovation, enabling solutions that reflect both local priorities and broader sustainability goals.

Social design serves society, and its most effective way is participatory design by the whole society. The International Participatory Design Manual defines participatory design as the process of investigation, understanding, reflection, establishment, development, and support for mutual learning among participants in group reflective activities.

Professor Manzini summarizes the participatory approach as “professional designers guide, social organizations support, and the public or individuals contribute their spare time and ideas to make changes to improve problems that cannot be solved from the top down [24]”. Scholar Zhao Na divides the participation method into three levels: sensory participation, behavioral participation, and spiritual participation. Sensory participation refers to users’ sensory perception of products, increasing users’ identification with products through body organs; behavioral participation refers to participating in the creative, production, and use processes of design, where stakeholders directly have a decisive impact on the design; spiritual participation refers to designers leaving a rich imagination space for the audience, making the product gain more lasting vitality while being felt [25]. Users possess a practical understanding of certain issues but lack designers’ insight into the possibilities of new technologies. Designers can activate participants’ creative thinking and help users express their viewpoints through creative tools and methods, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, and group mapping, which are on-site techniques. Ezio Manzini and Victor Margolin both consider design to be a form of democracy, where the inclusiveness of participatory design and the fairness of collaborative design provide a stage for different participants to come together and collaborate in a democratic manner. In this process, designers take on a new role as facilitators, creating a participatory and collaborative design process or platform to explore the democratization of design [26]. Castro Diaz et al. developed the concept of participatory integration, which serves as a model for addressing urgent global challenges by promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, community engagement, and a commitment to meaningful change. It emphasizes the importance of embracing complexity, inclusivity, and adaptability in research and action [27].

Because of the above-mentioned whole society’s participation, its design behavior will inevitably lead to value co-creation. In theoretical research, value co-creation mainly presents two branches: the broad sense co-creation proposed by C.K. Prahalad and Venkat Ramaswamy based on consumer experience [28], and the narrow sense co-creation proposed by Stephen L. Vargo and Robert F. Lusch based on the service-dominant logic [29].

Based on the brief value co-creation model proposed by Bernard Cova and Robert Salle from the perspective of customer and enterprise interaction [30] (Figure 2), Wang Xiaochun, Chen Ruibo, and Yan Chen proposed a value co-creation model based on design thinking. Enterprises and users invest resources, and designers act as a connecting hub, helping enterprises and users to continue to interact. Enterprises create value in definition, creativity, and prototyping, while users create value in empathy and testing, and the two communicate and interact to produce products and services [31]. Cloe Benz et al.’s study acknowledges that the process of co-creation design is both time-consuming and laborious; however, the direct research benefits and the indirect broader community benefits make this investment more reasonable. The author advocates the combination of community-based participatory research processes and collaborative design to generate creative thinking in the service design process [32].

2.3. “People-Culture-Place-Industry-Scenery” Resource Integration Model

In the Web of Science Core Collection, using “Regional Design” as the search term and limiting the research domains to those most closely related to Arts and Humanities, a total of 202 studies were identified up to the year 2024 (Figure 3). After reviewing each of these studies and excluding the 66 that were less relevant to this study, it is evident that research in this area is not very extensive. Upon analyzing the topic words frequency of these articles, it was found that, in addition to the expected high occurrences of terms such as “cultural heritage”, “sustainability”, “culture”, and “environment”, the most frequent terms were related to architecture and spatial design (as shown in the figure). This indicates that current research is not only confined to traditional fields but also lacks an integrated approach and comprehensive outcomes.

After reviewing the existing research in the field of regional design, we further explore how to break through the limitations of traditional studies and understand regional design from a more macroscopic perspective, emphasizing its comprehensiveness and systematic nature. In this regard, the model proposed by Japanese scholar Kiyoshi Miyazaki, which integrates resources based on five key elements—people, culture, place, industry, and scenery—offers us new insights (Figure 4). Faced with the complex community environment, Professor Kiyoshi Miyazaki of Japan advocates dividing community issues into five major elements of “people, culture, place, industry, and scenery” for resource integration [33]. “People” aims to encourage community participation, rebuild interpersonal relationships, condense social consciousness, and achieve a community ecology of co-construction through co-consultation. “Culture” emphasizes the “locality” and “uniqueness” of culture, cultivates community residents to participate in the excavation of historical sites, inheritance of skills, and cultural protection, making community culture the spiritual wealth of community construction; “Place” aims to protect and promote geographical resources and environments, improve supporting facilities for resources and environments as needed, and develop planting industries reasonably; “Industry” mainly involves planning and management of local characteristic industries, promoting the continuous development of industries through improving industrial brands and innovating industrial content; “Scenery” focuses on reshaping community public spaces, promoting the sustainable development of community environments through enhancing traditional landscapes, developing community natural landscapes, and building community parks.

Regional development has its particularities. The theories of Professor Kiyoshi Miyazaki have demonstrated a certain degree of adaptability and have conducted comprehensive exploration and analysis of the topic of community. Given their effectiveness and scalability, there is a rationale for extending them to broader and larger research subjects. This has led to the genesis of our research questions and the adjustment to a new framework and methodology. Based on Professor Kiyoshi Miyazaki’s integration model, social innovation design, based on regional development dilemmas, can contribute to promoting regional development through multi-stakeholder collaborative governance, building actor networks, and promoting resource collaborative linkages.

3. Materials and Methods

This study employs a comparative analysis method to delve into the application of regional design in the creation of local culture, place-making, industrial development models, regional brand building, and the construction of urban–rural relationships. By transcending a singular dimension, the research integrates the “people-culture-place-industry-scenery” model, combining participatory design and value co-creation theories, and further develops an original theoretical framework tailored to address the complexities of regional design. The aim is to analyze cases from multiple perspectives, promote regional development, shape unique cultural IPs, revitalize traditional cultural resources, and integrate commercial, cultural, and social values to construct a systematic design-driven model while emphasizing the importance of sustainable development to ensure the environmental friendliness and long-term socio-economic benefits of the design solutions.

This study extends beyond the community-focused model proposed by Professor Kiyoshi Miyazaki to address broader regional design objectives. Specifically, this study modifies and expands Miyazaki’s model into five sub-modules and domains that better align with the comprehensive goals of regional industry and social development:

• Integrating comprehensive human relationships and closely linking them with social production and daily life to construct robust community and regional social relations.
• Conducting in-depth and extensive cultural research and transforming it into tangible products that can be better integrated into real life, creating culturally significant and relevant objects.
• Elevating mere geographical resources to regional brands with more cohesive images and values, enhancing their intrinsic vitality and driving forces.
• Utilizing social innovation design to innovate traditional industries, combining corporate branding and product serialization to create more vibrant regional economies.
• Moving beyond simple concepts of scenery or landscape to a broader, humanistic spatial concept that is deeply integrated with regional life and production activities, transforming from a passive object to a dynamic and comprehensive concept. The strategies and steps for implementation are shown in Figure 5.

3.1. Chinese Traditional Creation on Local Culture

In the contemporary design field, social innovation design is gradually becoming an important force in promoting the inheritance and innovation of local culture. It is not only a design concept but also a social practice. Its core goal is to solve social problems and promote the sustainable development of culture through design activities. The application of social innovation design in local culture particularly emphasizes in-depth understanding and respect for local characteristics and traditions. This design strategy is not only of great significance for protecting and promoting regional culture but also can stimulate innovative thinking, promoting local design towards a more diverse and modern development path.

The concept of local culture is related to “regionalism” and “contextualism”, but it shows obvious differences in design connotation. With the development of local culture towards diversification, local design pays more and more attention to the characteristics of the time and place, especially ethnic characteristics. Combining local culture with design must conform to modern esthetics to better adapt to the market.

The regional design language in the local culture is a symbol system that conveys the internal common characteristics of a specific region. These symbols come from three core levels of local design: culture, environment, and space. First, cultural elements are reflected in the inheritance of context, which includes not only traditional artistic expressions but also ethnic cultural customs and spatial behavior patterns, which can be approached from “formal language” and “behavioral space”; second, environmental elements cover multiple levels, including urban and rural areas, traditional and modern; finally, spatial elements are a response to specific regions, extracting cultural implications and historical contexts from the unique properties of the region [34].

3.2. Regional Place Construction Research

The term “place” was first created by geographer Wright, John K, who defined it as a subjective region [35]. It includes both “material” and “humanistic” content, the former refers to a specific area, and the latter includes the history, experience, emotions, meanings, and symbols that people attribute to that area [36]. A regional place is not only a shared space for community members but also a symbol of regional culture and identity, and a stage for social interaction and economic activity. Through the perspective of social innovation, the design of a place is not only a transformation of the physical environment but also a process of in-depth excavation and value reshaping of regional culture. Ji Lv and Gong Miaosen’s article emphasizes that the construction of community places can reflect the history, characteristics, and lifestyle of a region. It endows space with new meaning and function through design, thereby enhancing the cohesion and attractiveness of the region [37].

In terms of the construction of public space places, Wang Ling analyzes and studies the place construction of large cultural architectural complex public spaces from two major aspects: static spatial environment and activities and implications in the spatial environment [38]. In terms of landscape construction, Yu Mingyu and Zhang Jie, in the case of Big Taoxichuan area landscape design, use the concept of sponge city at the urban scale to achieve place construction and spatial narration through landscape [39]. The community, as a complex connotation of a local place, naturally contains the complex characteristics of society and space. Liu Jiayan’s research from the perspective of community planning finds that the community has multiple value attributes, including regional community, living community, and governance community. The complete realization of these value attributes requires the realization through comprehensive place construction [40].

Place construction, as a multi-dimensional approach to shaping meaningful spaces, reflects the far-reaching impact of design strategies in regional design practices, whether in the activation of public spaces, the narrative nature of landscape design, or the deep-level value realization of community planning. Social innovation design plays a key role in promoting community participation, enhancing regional cultural identity, and driving social progress. By integrating regional resources, regional places become key nodes in promoting social progress and cultural heritage.

3.3. Research on Design-Driven Regional Industrial Development Model

With the continuous development of society, the particularity of regional economic structure has become increasingly important, and its unique features have not disappeared with globalization and the influx of new technologies. In fact, a distinctive regional industrial structure not only helps to maintain regional resource advantages and strengthen industrial characteristics but also can enhance the competitiveness of the industry. In this context, the role of social innovation design has become increasingly evident: it fundamentally integrates resources, adjusts industrial structures, and maximizes the promotion of regional innovative development.

The driving mechanism of industrial development can be summarized into three aspects: market-driven, technology-driven, and design-driven. Giovanni Dosi, based on previous research, proposed two forms of innovation driving forces: market-driven and technology-driven, thus, forming the traditional two-dimensional innovation driving force theory [41]; Roberto Verganti believes that “the novelty of the messages conveyed by products and the novelty of design language far outweigh the novelty of the technological results they contain” [42].

Wen Qianqian classifies industrial development models into three types: factor-driven, investment-driven, and innovation-driven, based on the driving factors of industrial development. She emphasizes the necessity of shifting the economic growth mode and industrial development model from a factor-driven approach to an innovation-driven one [43]. Zheng Gangqiang, Sun Jiawei, and Li Peili believe that integrating design strategy, tactics, concepts, and methods into the entire process of industrial and enterprise development is the key to design-driven industrial innovation. Its core is to build a collaborative innovation empowerment system by integrating design strategy with various innovation elements [44].

It is evident that social innovation design, by integrating resources, adjusting industrial structures, and promoting innovation, provides critical support for the flourishing development of regional industries. This kind of innovation is not only an improvement in existing industrial models but also an active exploration of future economic development patterns. As society continues to evolve, the dynamics of industrial development are also evolving, transitioning from traditional market-driven and technology-driven forces to a more diverse and comprehensive multi-dimensional driving system. In this process, the concept of design-driven industrial innovation becomes increasingly prominent. It emphasizes innovation that enhances the value of products and services while reducing negative environmental impacts. It also encourages the adoption of circular economy and green design principles to achieve long-term industrial prosperity and ecological balance. Integrating design thinking into the entire process of industrial development to build an empowering system for collaborative innovation has become an important strategy and pathway in current regional economic development. Design is not just an innovative tool but also a strategic asset that stimulates new economic growth points while ensuring sustainability in the development process.

3.4. Regional Brand Design Construction

The formation of regional brands is the result of the joint efforts of all relevant entities within the region and shows characteristics such as long-term nature, regional aggregation, and correlation. In terms of the factors affecting the formation of regional brands, Xia Zengyu proposed several key factors for building regional brands, including the leadership and support of local governments, the self-discipline and cohesion of industry associations and chambers of commerce, and the competitive advantage of enterprise clusters playing a role. Innovation ability is the key to regional brand competition in the market [45]. Yuan Shengjun, Cao Shuhan, and Zhang Jianguang proposed that under the influence of resources, policies, and many other factors, enterprise brands continue to develop, drive the formation of industrial clusters, and interact with each other, ultimately leading to the emergence of regional brands. Innovation is the key factor for the stable development and avoidance of decline in the life cycle of regional brands, and innovation is needed in technology, management, products, production models, and other aspects [46]. Ren Chunhong and Cong Yufei also confirmed that the four dimensions of cluster industry advantages (cost advantage, product advantage, innovation advantage, and marketing advantage) all have a significant effect on the formation of regional brands [47]. Correa, P.A.D., and others established two main categories of brands: “value brand”, which refers to the economic and perceived appreciation in the market and consumer minds. Keller (2013) described it as the differentiated impact of a brand on product marketing; And ’regional brands’, which focus on promoting products closely related to specific geographic locations, are defined by Anholt (2002) as the unique essence of a region that enhances its local and global appeal. Regional brands not only stand out in saturated markets but also promote the economic and tourism development of the region [48].

Social innovation design is both a design practice and strategic thinking that integrates various resources such as society, culture, economy, and technology to promote the innovation and development of regional brands. In building regional brands, it is emphasized to deeply explore and grasp the brand value and market positioning.

However, at present, the development of China’s regional brands still has problems such as an imbalance in industry, region, and market, as well as a lack of brand awareness and regulatory strength. In this context, social innovation design explores a new path for the stable development and continuous competitiveness of regional brands by improving community participation, enhancing brand awareness, optimizing production models, and promoting technological innovation. Social innovation design can not only build a multi-win ecosystem but also promote the healthy growth of regional brands, thereby achieving economic, social, and cultural sustainable development.

3.5. Constructing New Types of Social Relationships: Social Design Research

The transformation of society and the development of technology reshape individual attributes and deeply affect the relationships between people and their environments, as well as society at large. In the face of numerous issues arising from societal development, how to build new social structures and relationships is an important topic that designers and various social forces are currently exploring together. Social design, as a method of constructing new social relationships, has a broad interdisciplinary perspective and an open collaborative model, playing an increasingly important role in improving social issues and increasing people’s well-being.

Taking communities as an example, community building as a community construction practice has played a significant role in social transformation and development, cultural and ecological protection, and the effective use of resources. Community building has a multidisciplinary perspective. Based on available resources within the area, it gradually improves the surrounding living environment and enhances community vitality through diverse collaboration. Luo Jiade and Liang Xiaoyue propose in their social research that community construction involves the collective handling of various social issues faced by communities through government guidance, citizen initiative, and assistance from social organizations. Different disciplinary perspectives have different views on the nature of community building, but all agree that community governance is achieved through self-organization, aggregation, and activation of local resources to realize regional development [49].

In building and reshaping social relationships and addressing complex issues between individuals and society, social design offers innovative methods and perspectives. Interdisciplinary collaboration and community participation can not only improve the quality of life in communities but also promote the effective use of resources and the protection of cultural ecology. The core of social design research lies in exploring and facilitating the construction of new types of social relationships, which are based on mutual understanding, cooperation, and common goals. In this process, innovation becomes the core driving force for the progress of social design, motivating all sectors of society to jointly engage in solving social issues and exploring and achieving a more harmonious social structure and more sustainable development goals. Through this comprehensive and in-depth social design practice, we hope to build a more equitable, inclusive, and vibrant social environment.

In summary, the focus of regional design research is on how to use design practices to showcase and strengthen the cultural characteristics and social needs of a particular area. These fields are not only concerned with individual design works or projects but also view design as a link connecting communities, culture, and industry. The regional design has significant implications for promoting community participation, cultural heritage, and economic development, activating the internal potential of communities, and driving local economic innovation and transformation. In addition, regional design research also involves establishing and maintaining social relationships through design and improving the quality of life for residents. Research and practice in this field have shown that, in the context of global economic integration, design can become a strategic means of maintaining the unique characteristics and competitiveness of a region. Through regional design, we can better understand and utilize regional resources, including natural, cultural, and social resources, to achieve more balanced and sustainable development.

4. Results

In response to the five issues described in the introduction, based on the adaptation of Kiyoshi Miyazaki’s model and the integrated use of methods such as participatory design and value co-creation, it is possible to socially innovate a variety of territorial design issues and to achieve sustainable territorial development. The following five groups of cases illustrate this design theory and methodology system well. They have all achieved good design results, respectively, and have been positively responded to and recognized by the commissioners and users. However, because it is more of an original design and not a scientific research-type process, the selection of the research object relies more on the unique cultural object it faces than on the verification from scientific experiments, and it is not always repeatable.

4.1. Practice of Cultural Creation Based on Local Culture

In recent years, the development of cultural and creative product design based on local culture has been vigorous. Local culture not only combines consumer needs but also makes full use of the dissemination advantages of the Internet, creating many practice cases that have attracted widespread attention. Our team created the “Time’s Radiance · Porcelain Biological Paradise” project for Jingdezhen (the famous porcelain center in China), with porcelain culture at the core to create a holographic immersive art exhibition, using the most advanced digital means to “reactivate” history and bring traditional culture into the real life of the younger generation. The entire project includes three main parts: IP construction, cultural and creative product development, and immersive special exhibitions.

Firstly, excavate the porcelain culture gene and refine the IP image. Porcelain is a representative product of China, with a long history and tradition, carrying the essence and image expression of traditional Chinese artifact culture. The image design of “Porcelain Creature” is based on the traditional theme of “Porcelain Culture”, and five IP images of porcelain creatures have been created for different categories of ceramics, for which a fantasy world of porcelain creatures has been constructed. Porcelain has a lot of cultural image resources in history, and bronze also has rich background resources, which can be used for different material substrate mining. In this project, “Porcelain Paradise” shapes five types of ceramic cultural IPs: the auspicious elephant, Xuanwu (Black Tortoise), Qilin (mythical unicorn), Vermilion Bird, and Dragon, showcasing the diverse facets of ceramic culture. These five cultural IPs and their designs are inspired by the rich shapes and glazes of ceramics through the ages, implying the cosmic view of the unity of man and heaven and the multicultural view of compatibility and inclusiveness valued by the Chinese people, which are the important cornerstones and kernels of China’s local culture (Figure 6).

Secondly, the development of cultural and creative products in the Porcelain Biological Paradise is based on the genes of porcelain culture and IP images. The specific approach is to deeply understand the design genes, to conceptually capture their essence, and their transformation in modern society, so that the internal logic of history is activated by modern products and becomes contemporary fashion. Such products include mugs, bookmarks, and badges as the main products, which together build a series of products (Figure 7).

Thirdly, a new experience scene through an immersive special exhibition is constructed. The immersive art exhibition adheres to the concept of the integration of science and art, using multi-media interaction to present the history and cultural connotations of ceramics. The virtual presentation of multimedia allows for the construction of an almost infinite sensory space beyond the physical and spatial presentation, especially the concept of time beyond the spatial object. It is therefore more convenient to stimulate the visual and telepathic senses of the viewer and to bring the time and traditions that have passed to the present. In the internal space, a grating wall composed of gratings displays hundreds of famous porcelain pieces in Chinese history. This design practice not only creates economic value for the local area but also strengthens the sense of cultural identity and promotes sustainable development (Figure 8).

4.2. Regional Place-Making Practice

The trend of the integration of globalization and localization has caused many places to begin to show unique regional characteristics, and regional features are gradually emerging. Based on the several perspectives of regional place-making analyzed earlier, the “Bishan Plan” and “Village Companion Ideal Village” cases are selected for analysis and discussion.

Bishan Village is located in Yixian County in southern Anhui Province, China, and still retains its traditional rural features. There are many well-preserved ancient residences and ancestral halls from the Ming and Qing dynasties in the village. In 2007, artists Ou Ning and Zuo Jing were attracted by the natural rural scenery of Huizhou. After four years of investigation, they finally chose to launch the Bishan Art Intervention Rural Construction Plan. Through continuous efforts, the “Bishan Plan” has gradually expanded into a new type of rural construction model, integrating multiple functions such as cultural and artistic industries, characteristic tourism, environmental and historical protection, and organic agriculture (Figure 9).

From another perspective, Village Companion’s cultural tourism has summarized the “Five Communalisms of Rural Revitalization” by promoting urban–rural interaction: co-construction, coexistence, co-creation, sharing, and common prosperity. Take the Tree Frog Tribe (an eco-luxury retreat embedded in the heart of nature) initiated by Village Companion in Tongren, Guizhou Province, as an example: the project was jointly initiated by Tongren County in Guizhou Province and Village Companion’s cultural tourism, creating a rural homestay poverty alleviation model. In addition, Village Companion has also promoted projects such as “Ideal Village” and “Red Rice Plan,” promoting the integration and interaction of capital and intellectual resources through the integration of industry, organization, talent, culture, ecology, and traffic flow.

4.3. Design-Driven Regional Industrial Development Model Practice

Design-driven brands have increasingly become an important driving force for promoting consumer upgrading, market upgrading, industrial upgrading, and accelerating social and economic development. Innovation based on regional culture and regional industry in design-driven brands is characterized by low cost and high return, fully reflecting the resource advantage of regional design and showing strong sustainable development characteristics, becoming a driving force and value point for industrial economic development.

The Yan Zhi Dan brand created by our team is a local brand based on the integration of regional culture and characteristic industries. Since its birth, the brand has been accompanied by strong ethnic and regional cultural characteristics, and brand shaping revolves around three elements: product power, innovation power, and marketing power. In terms of product power, Yan Zhi Dan starts with product color, shape characteristics, and material to improve the value of the product itself and define unique brand elements. In terms of innovation power, the brand starts from user pain points, resolving the issues present in current analogous products through a human-centered design approach, and establishing a new brand awareness for consumers. In terms of marketing power, by creating a combined marketing model, the brand is fully empowered.

Yan Zhi Dan’s products are at the intersection between regional specialties, mass brands, scientific and technological innovation, and regional culture, and use brand development as a fulcrum to promote the integrated development of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. The primary industry is the thousand-year horse oil, corresponding to agriculture; the secondary industry refers to horse oil extraction technology and biological extraction processes, mainly driven by science and technology and advanced manufacturing technology, corresponding to industry; and the tertiary industry refers to the organic association of regional culture with mass consumer brands based on the Silk Road cultural connotation, corresponding to the service industry (Figure 10, in which the “焉支丹” is part of the brand’s official logo and is pronounced as Yan Zhi Dan). Yan Zhi Dan horse oil products are divided into three series, corresponding to three cultural genes: the first is the “Colorful Dan Rhyme” series which uses the colorful Danxia (a type of colorful sedimentary rock formation, the continental red bed landform with escarpments) and Qilian Snow Mountain as design elements, and the presentation of various colors implies a colorful life; the second is the “Silk Road” series, which relies on the royal horse farm in Shan Dan with a history of more than 2000 years of horse culture, integrating traditional Chinese medicine essence with modern advanced horse oil biological purification technology; the third is the “Han and Tang Dynasty National Style” series, which uses the red and black color matching of lacquerware to create a Han and Tang visual impression (Figure 11).

The Yan Zhi Dan brand uses the power of design to promote the innovation and upgrading of regional brands. It not only enhances consumers’ awareness of horse oil culture but also awakens consumers’ perception of regional ethnic culture. It is an innovative model that drives regional culture and industrial development through design.

4.4. Regional Brand Design and Construction Practice

China’s rural construction is both an economic issue and a cultural issue [50]. Many distinctive regional brands have been formed at home and abroad, and these traditional regional brands condense a strong historical culture and national spirit. Traditional regional brands have made great developments in the new media environment, and with the help of new media forms, they can better expand the influence of regional brands and promote local economic development [51].

“Shanshui Linhua”, a regional brand designed by MOMA Industrial Design Company, is tailored for the tourism industry of Anshun, Guizhou, a city renowned for its mountains and waters. The name “Shanshui Linhua” contains the people’s beautiful expectations for a mountain city, a water city, a forest city, and a flower city, reflecting the natural state of mountains and waters in the city, and fitting the cultural needs of the place. The construction of the new brand originates from the excavation of the four major cultural veins in the area, and the intangible cultural heritage, landscape culture, historical culture, and Tunbao culture (a distinctive cultural tradition of the military settlements in the region) have become a continuous source of cultural creation for cultural and creative product design. The batik series originate from the characteristic handicrafts of multiple ethnic groups in Guizhou, and the core process is to combine wax with some plant pigments to replace modern chemical dyes, reducing environmental pollution and express local folklore and specific cultural images of animals, plants, and festivals with batik. The combination of a series of clothing, home products, and porcelain with batik is both appropriate and has ethnic characteristics. Among them, the Yelang series re-excavate the history of the Yelang Kingdom, which has been shrouded in dust, and integrate it with products in a modern way, forming a distinct product characteristic (Figure 12 and Figure 13).

In the practice of regional brand design and creation, the principle of sustainability is integrated into the core of the brand strategy. The brand enhances its market appeal by telling regional stories and inheriting cultural values, while also adopting sustainable production and marketing methods, contributing to the promotion of social welfare. This type of regional brand practice with sustainability at its core helps to build a brand with long-term competitiveness and provides new momentum for the green development of the regional economy.

4.5. Constructing New Types of Social Relationships: Case Study of Social Design

Society is the cradle of human wisdom and civilization, but it is also a place where problems arise. With the acceleration of urbanization, social issues have emerged. Social design that constructs new types of social relationships plays an important role in promoting social innovation. Lou Yongqi from Tongji University believes that to achieve sustainable development of resources and the environment, the absolute “urbanization” lifestyle is not applicable. Cities and rural areas represent two different lifestyles and giving up either side will have adverse effects. Therefore, only by exploring the advantages of both and promoting mutual development can a coupled system be formed, which is the best mode for sustainable development [52].

The design team transformed six idle greenhouses in Xiancun Village on Chongming Island, Shanghai, into multi-functional public activity spaces that integrate leisure, exhibition, performance, and catering. The design team also transformed three sets of idle farmhouses into themed homestays. These innovation centers are independent of each other and interconnected, and resources can be shared between innovation centers to maximize resource utilization. The design team established “lifestyle experience stores” connected with rural innovation centers in cities, constructing a dynamic urban–rural collaboration network (Figure 14).

5. Discussion

The present study has explored the multifaceted role of regional design in fostering sustainable development from a social innovation perspective. By integrating the “people-culture-place-industry-scenery” model with participatory design and value co-creation theories, this research has sought to address the five key issues identified in the introduction:

• Q1: How do we establish harmonious relationships between people and objects, people and nature, and among objects and nature in regional design?
• The findings from the case studies, particularly the “Time’s Radiance · Porcelain Biological Paradise” project, highlight the importance of integrating local cultural elements and sustainable practices to foster these relationships. By using traditional porcelain-making techniques and integrating them with modern digital technologies, the project not only preserved the cultural heritage but also created new forms of interaction between people and objects. The immersive art exhibition allowed visitors to experience the cultural significance of porcelain through interactive displays, thereby strengthening the connection between people and their cultural artifacts. Additionally, the project emphasized the use of sustainable materials and practices, promoting harmony between human activities and the natural environment. This approach demonstrates how regional design can create meaningful connections between people, objects, and nature, fostering a sense of cultural identity and environmental stewardship.
• Q2: What strategies can be employed to create meaningful spaces within the context of regional design?
• The research highlights the significance of place-making as a core component of regional design. Through the analysis of the “Bishan Plan” and “Village Companion Ideal Village” projects, it is evident that place-making not only transforms physical environments but also enriches the cultural and social fabric of communities. By integrating local cultural elements and sustainable practices, regional design can create spaces that are both functional and culturally significant, fostering a sense of place and identity among residents.
• Q3: In what ways can design contribute to industrial development and pattern innovation from a social innovation perspective?
• The findings indicate that design-driven approaches, such as those employed in the “Yan Zhi Dan” brand, can effectively integrate regional culture and industry to create innovative and sustainable economic models. By leveraging local resources and cultural heritage, regional design can drive industrial upgrading and foster economic growth while preserving cultural authenticity. This approach not only enhances the competitiveness of local industries but also promotes social welfare through inclusive and sustainable practices.
• Q4: How can we address the unbalanced development of regional brands in China?
• This research reveals that regional branding, exemplified by the “Shanshui Linhua” project, plays a crucial role in promoting regional identity and economic development. By integrating cultural narratives and sustainable practices into brand strategies, regional design can create brands that are both culturally rooted and globally competitive. This dual focus on cultural heritage and innovation helps to balance the development of regional brands, ensuring that they reflect the unique characteristics of their regions while meeting market demands.
• Q5: How can designers actively explore and build new social structures to promote the development of social relations in design?

The findings emphasize the role of social design in constructing new types of social relationships that are based on mutual understanding, cooperation, and common goals. Projects such as the “Xiancun Village Urban-Rural Interaction Project” demonstrate how design can facilitate urban-rural collaboration, fostering social integration and sustainable development. By creating platforms for interaction and co-creation, regional design can empower communities and drive social innovation.

Theories are always abstract; models are always simple. Reality is rich and the phenomenon is concrete. The established theoretical model can effectively explain the complexity of the reality of the problem, and each object is likely to be a composite of multiple problems. Therefore, in the design plan, in order to simplify the problem and expediate the design process, conceptual refinement, enrichment, and implementation there is often a fluctuation between a single model and a combination of models. This reflects the complexity and reality of the design system.

The territorial design process was adopted after the theoretical derivation produced good results, recognized and welcomed by the commissioning enterprises and the people of the local governments and communities, and has broad prospects for promotion.

This research contributes to the existing body of literature by providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the role of regional design in sustainable development. By integrating social innovation theories with practical design methods, this study offers new insights into how regional design can address complex social, economic, and environmental challenges. The findings also have practical implications for designers, policymakers, and community leaders who seek to promote sustainable and culturally sensitive development in their regions.

6. Conclusions

This paper aims to reflect on the multi-dimensional regional design system proposed within this research, which is oriented by practical needs and constructed using methodologies from various disciplines to address the multi-level demands of regional specificity. The innovations of this study are as follows: Firstly, it establishes an interdisciplinary framework for regional design research by integrating social innovation theory with regional design practice, addressing a gap in the existing literature regarding the exploration of such comprehensive research methodologies. Secondly, this study explores the practical pathways of regional design from a social innovation perspective, applying the “people-culture-place-industry-scenery” model, along with participatory design and value co-creation theories, to propose five key areas of regional design and their practical methods, offering innovative ideas and solutions for the practical application of regional design. Lastly, this study connects regional design research with the United Nations (SDGs), particularly SDG9 and SDG11, to demonstrate the strategic role and practical contributions of regional design in the realization of global sustainable development objectives. These innovations not only deepen the theoretical underpinnings of regional design but also offer new perspectives and directions for its practical application.

Exploring regional design theory from a multi-dimensional perspective reveals the value orientation and direction of sustainable development in regional design. The research findings confirm that regional design not only enhances the intrinsic value of regional culture but also shows great potential in driving local economic development and community participation. Despite these contributions, several limitations should be acknowledged. Firstly, this research predominantly relies on qualitative methods, which may limit the comprehensiveness and generalizability of the findings. Future studies could incorporate quantitative methods, such as Kansei engineering or statistical analysis, to strengthen the validity of the findings and ensure broader applicability. Secondly, the current study focuses on proposing theoretical models and their application but lacks extensive evaluation of these models across diverse cultural and regional contexts. Case studies are limited to specific regions, and further research is needed to test the framework in varied global settings. Currently, the regional design system proposed by this study is in its initial stage of practical application. Opportunities for cooperation with local governments and communities are being explored to seek possibilities for implementation and financing. It is anticipated that these design approaches will not only provide new perspectives for regional design but also offer practical solutions for achieving the UN SDGs (SDG9 and SDG11).

Building on the findings of this study, future research can delve deeper into interdisciplinary approaches to regional design, integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital tools to enhance design processes and outcomes. Expanding the application of the proposed framework to varied geographic and cultural contexts would provide valuable insights into its adaptability and broader relevance. Additionally, longitudinal studies could evaluate the enduring impacts of regional design strategies, offering evidence-based guidance for policymakers and practitioners aiming to align regional development with global sustainability goals.

As a design concept that expresses regional cultural characteristics and serves regional societies, regional design offers insights into the cultural essence and systemic relationships of design. With the continuous evolution of industries, technologies, and society, the connotations and extensions of design are also developing. Design acts like a mirror, reflecting the changes in the times from a unique perspective. In the future, regional design will become an increasingly important field in sustainable development from the perspective of social innovation.