Beijing has many shops that date back to the ancient Qing Dynasty that are still open to this day. The Chinese name for these famous and time tested shops is "Laozihao". But the "Laozihao" now face a modern challenge the growing popularity of foreign brands among Chinese consumers. A design contest is being held in Beijing this week in an attempt to save AND preserve some of China's historic shops.

Unlike a standard competition, Beijing's Design Week is more of a playful and collaborative battleground.

This year, the Open Heart Design Challenge has been organized by Niwotata Future Hub, and is inspiring participants with the captivating challenge of "Resurrecting Laozhihao"

Thirteen design studios are participating in a week-long live design challenge and are being coached by influential designers, makers and doers - all of whom are experts in the field.

Xu Qingye is one of the many young designers who is participating in this year's challenge. He's keen to find ways on how advanced technology could help shorten the time it takes shops to produce their "traditional" goods.

Participating design teams are expected to put cultural and social design into practice in a collaborative and nurturing environment. They're also being supported by academics, professionals and consultants from the fields of culture, business and design.