Chongqing, a megacity of 82,400 km² with 32 million residents, encompasses metropolitan cores, expansive rural hinterlands, the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, mountainous terrains, and diverse ethnic communities. As a designated UNESCO City of Design within the Creative Cities Network (since 2023), Chongqing is advancing a new paradigm of ‘design-driven integrated development and upgrading of city-industry-village linkages‘ to forge a pioneering demonstration zone for megacity-specific urban design and renewal, anchored in a comprehensive design ecosystem.