Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab

uLab-Infrastructure focuses on urban infrastructure financing, intervention practices, and impact assessment. Led by Guibo Sun at The University of Manchester.

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

Grateful to share that our paper in Urban Studies is now online! This work attempts to bridge land value capture and land rent theories, connecting land-based metro infrastructure financing with evaluation of their social impacts through natural experiments.

[Urban Studies Journal @USJ_online]

🔓 NEW in #UrbanStudies

✍️ Sun et al. - @uLab_Infra

🔍 China’s local governments rely on land finance to fund #infrastructure, distorting #planning priorities and reducing the importance of creating permeable, well-integrated #station areas.

📖 https://t.co/r9sH82JcRi

[Dongsheng He @DongshengHe3]

How can high-density built environments and volumetric urban design be measured？
Our latest paper in Environment and Planning B proposed a transferable approach to measure volumetric urban design elements of transit-oriented development in Hong Kong. https://t.co/wXhlENqqM5

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

New paper out 🎄 Our natural experiment shows older men report higher social isolation—and better public transport didn’t reduce their loneliness. It did for women.

Christmas reminder (half-joking, half-serious): check in on the men around you.

https://t.co/losaQnhT7c

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

It’s the final week to submit your abstract for the 6th World Symposium on Transport and Land Use Research (WSTLUR), happening in Beijing, June 7–11, 2026. Join researchers from around the world! @DV_Jonas
WSTLUR: https://t.co/Iza6Jd1Eiy
Submit here: https://t.co/z7zphXzPeO

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

Truly honoured to receive the Research Excellence Award from the Royal Town Planning Institute @RTPIPlanners. Excited to continue contributing to UK planning research and practice from Hong Kong @DongshengHe3 and Manchester. Check out our paper:

https://t.co/wpjE2AYw6y

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

We are delighted to share a recent publication, "From push to partnership: evolving public engagement strategies in pandemic-induced street experiments." Zhao and Sun found rich variations in public engagement structures in government-led experiments. https://t.co/jbBpPVYWYi

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

Congratulations, @DongshengHe3, on being shortlisted for the Tony Crook Award for Early Career Research by
@RTPIPlanners. Check out our paper in Land Use Policy on transaction costs and land property rights in TOD projects in China: https://t.co/wpjE2AYw6y

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

In street experiments, we found that 'experiment and conceptualise' is the most common learning process across 28 cases, outcompeting 'implement and execute' and 'experiment and perpetuate' processes. It allowed for longer-term street changes. Read more at https://t.co/B6pyGxUyIj

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

Streamlined NSIP process has grown complex, with increasingly lengthy policy documents. The key challenge lies in balancing consent-building and project delivery in the democratic society—highlighting power dynamics between state and society. Valuable insights shared at #NIPA2025

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

Delighted to join the UTSG community and an amazing conference experience at UCD! Thrilled to share our special issue https://t.co/VLl9J7UdM0 and reunions with @charliemuss and fantastic colleagues from @TSUOxford

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

Improving Manchester tram faces 2 structural challenges: 1. Path dependence—sprawling and low density evolving with car dominance makes changes tough; 2. Governance & funding—tram needs to be more than transport, using value capture, to drive development & equity. @CBTransport

[Campaign for Better Transport @CBTransport]

Our trams session explored how tram systems can boost connectivity and regenerate communities at #BetterTransportConference25.

Key insights:

1. Put housing where transport is, not the other way around.

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

Dr Sun is invited to the discussion on the Role of Trams in Connecting People and Places, together with four transportation experts. See you at the Better Transport Conference this Friday! Agenda see 🔗

https://t.co/tffQqyHWbe

@CBTransport

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

https://t.co/eVgya6wPL7

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

How experiential learning in street experiments shapes urban mobility transitions? We looked at the government implementers’ learning in pandemic-induced street experiments and provided evidence for deep learning and structural change: https://t.co/AgIKblO6sm

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

How are China’s booming metro systems funded? What impact do they have on cities and communities?

Dr. Sun delivered a departmental seminar unpacking the financing, social, and health effects of metro expansion in cities like Hong Kong, Guangzhou & Chengdu. #MetroInfrastructure

[Dongsheng He @DongshengHe3]

Thanks for the invitation by @CityPlusNetwork, I am excited to give a talk regarding causal effects of transport infrastructure intervention in China on May 18 (Beijing time). All are welcome.

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

Great meetings with the government, NGO, and academics to discuss building people-centric streets in Hong Kong! We need to further the understanding of street experiments in an Asian context, more so, how can learning be better integrated in urban governance. @Talamini_Lab

[Urban Infrastructure Transition Lab @uLab_Infra]

We developed a Policy Brief: Improving Street Urban Design Through Co-creation. This work aims to give practical recommendations, to support policymakers and practitioners in urban mobility and public space initiatives.
https://t.co/r1EeDa1yHD

[Dongsheng He @DongshengHe3]

As part of the visiting journey at UCLA, it is my honor to give a FED Talk at @ucla_its. Really enjoyed the idea exchange and discussion on the land value capture practice between US and China