Governance Design Innovation in Urban Regeneration: An Alternative Experience from Hsinchu City

Urban regeneration increasingly depends on the governance mechanism that makes design-intensive change administratively possible. This paper examines a semi-formal coordination forum established in Hsinchu, Taiwan, during the mayoralty of Chih-Chien Lin (2014–2022). Utilizing elite interviews and documentary sources, the research reconstructs how the forum convened bureau heads, external consultants, designers, and other stakeholders to coordinate a portfolio of regeneration projects. The findings indicate that the forum functioned as a cross-boundary governance interface. Rather than replacing formal procedures, it operated upstream and in parallel to clarify responsibilities, mediate design judgment, enhance procurement credibility, and expedite implementation through iterative review. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that the forum cannot be classified within established governance design categories such as steering committee, task force, project office, or design review panel. Instead, it represents a hybrid model that integrates diverse characteristics, with its value derived from a complex micro-organization of actors and routines over time.