Dezeen promotion: the fourth edition of Design China Beijing takes place this week and will showcase international brands alongside local talent under the theme of "nature, nurture and sustainable beauty".

The four-day fair, which starts tomorrow in Beijing, China, aims to broaden the discussion around sustainability and intends to explore not only architectural and urban innovation but also new modes of cultural and social interaction through design.

"After all the challenges we have been through over the past three years, we would like to go beyond original designs and industrial research, and to deepen our understanding of sustainability through designs from our exciting exhibitors and features," said Design China Beijing’s director Zhuo Tan.

One of the brand new additions to the show this year is the conceptual Sustainable Hutong area designed by architect and designer Guo Yuchen.

The design of the area is based on hutongs, the traditional residential courtyards that are typical of Beijing. The installation will feature a materials lab and exhibits exploring the impact of rapid urbanisation and the concept of public space as a shared community resource.

Visitors will be able to reach the Sustainable Hutong by going through another installation designed by Yuchen at the entrance to the show called Unfinished Garden.

The concept is a social area made from recycled ceramic waste and aims to encourage more conversations about sustainable design.

There will be over 100 brands participating in this year’s Design China Beijing, with half of them launching new products at the fair.

Leading international exhibitors include Italian brands Abet Laminati and BTicino alongside flooring brand Tarkett and lighting brand Anglepoise.

Exhibiting for the first time in Beijing, heritage British brand Downland will present innovations in sleep solutions. British paint brand Mylands will bring their latest collections of water-based paint to the show.

Chinese design brands and designers will also present their latest work alongside the international brands, including new releases by upcoming designer Frank Chou and emerging brand Lightspace.

Yi Design will introduce its new material made from ceramic waste with The Regeneration Tree, a sculpture by Aldo Cibic.

There are 18 million tons of ceramic waste produced annually in China and Yi Design has developed a new material using this waste, which is 90% recycled, strong, light and porous.

Other key Chinese exhibitors include furniture brand Thrudesign and Baluxne, a brand based in northern China that produces 100-per-cent-recycled melamine board.

XUE is launching a new product in collaboration with industrial designer Chen Min, while China’s leading art and design school Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) will present a showcase of up-and-coming design talents.

The show's annual talks programme Forum returns with a series of discussions exploring the show's theme "nature, nurture and sustainable beauty”.

Spanning design disciplines from across the world, influential speakers will be exploring the cultural shift towards regenerative design as a response to social and environmental needs in China and beyond.

Keynote speakers include Morag Myerscough, Teresa van Dongen, Amanda Levete, Sun Dayong, Shanshan Qi, Satyendra Pakhalé, Xuan Chen and Di Zhang.

Dezeen is a media partner for the event and will publish highlights from the show once it has taken place.

Design China Beijing takes place from September 24 to September 27 2021 at the National Agricultural Exhibition Hall in Beijing. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.