Yuan says the two neighboring museums could host joint exhibitions, because some of the spirit of modern design can also be found in ancient people's wisdom.

Shortly after its founding in 1928, the CAA launched its design school, one of the earliest among Chinese fine art academies. In 2016, the academy initiated the annual Design Intelligence Award to encourage young talent from home and abroad.

Hang, also head of the CAAbased Bauhaus Institute since its inauguration in 2012, expects to establish a research center on modern design on the campus.

"Design is reinventing itself as well," Hang says. "It will help people to better understand today when looking upon what was achieved in 1919."