In the field of graphic design, the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the design process. This study employs the Critical Interpretive Synthesis (CIS) approach to explore the impacts and challenges of AI on graphic design. Through a comprehensive review of 33 papers, this research reveals four research paradigms of AI in graphic design: Artificial Intelligence Driven Design Automation and Generation (AIDAG), Artificial Intelligence Assisted Graphic Design and Image Processing (AGDIP), Artificial Intelligence in Art and Creative Design Processes (AACDP), and Artificial Intelligence Enhanced Visual Attention and Emotional Response Modeling (AVERM). These paradigms demonstrate the multidimensional role of AI in design, ranging from automation to emotional interaction. The findings suggest that AI serves a dual role as both a design tool and a medium for innovation. AI not only enhances the automation and efficiency of the design process but also fosters designers' creative thinking and understanding of users' emotional needs. This study also proposes a path for the application of the four paradigms in the graphic design process, providing effective design ideas for future design workflows.

The objective of this study is to understand how urban and cultural landscape heritage impact individual mental health, as well as the mechanisms through which these influences operate, by synthesizing existing published qualitative data. This paper employs systematic review and meta-synthesis to extensively collect and evaluate relevant literature. A total of 30 papers met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using thematic synthesis. Through line-by-line coding, descriptive themes were identified, and the coded texts were summarized and categorized to provide evidence for thematic analysis. The study explores the mechanisms and effects produced by individuals participating in heritage environment interventions in non-clinical settings. The study protocol has been registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42024535811. The research proposes a heritage healing conceptual model, comprising three themes and 14 intervention elements: (a) restorative effects of nature and environment; (b) spiritual and religious practices; (c) culture, community, and identity. This model demonstrates the synergistic pathways through which heritage healing operates in mental health interventions, emphasizing the central role of heritage in promoting psychological well-being through a combination of natural environments, spiritual practices, and sociocultural factors. The heritage healing conceptual model offers an innovative combination approach to therapy, forming a multidimensional therapeutic network. The findings reveal the key role of heritage healing in mental health interventions, particularly by enhancing individual connections with nature and cultural heritage to foster psychological recovery and emotional stability. Furthermore, participating in cultural activities and savoring the aesthetic beauty and tranquility of historical environments allows people to alleviate the psychological burdens brought about by fast-paced urban life while strengthening connections among community members. It provides new perspectives for designing effective mental health intervention strategies, suggesting that public health policies should pay more attention to integrating and popularizing non-medication intervention measures.

Food waste is a global issue, and Macau is no exception. Throughout this study, it was found that most local bakeries in Macau employed promotional strategies to reduce surplus bread waste; however, a significant amount of unsold bread was still discarded. Meanwhile, as consumer behavior shifts toward environmental consciousness, technologies such as augmented reality (AR) are reshaping market dynamics. Many apps now incorporate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to raise consumer awareness. Within this context, this study recorded unsold bread types in real-time for four bakeries in Macau and integrated this information into an app system featuring interactive AR scanning technology to engage users and facilitate operations. Applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study surveyed 163 local participants in Macau. Users expressed interest in immersive AR experiences that incorporated entertainment elements, allowing them to quickly search for and purchase surplus bread products, thereby reducing bread waste. However, excessive entertainment features were found to distract users from their purchasing goals, causing operational difficulties. Therefore, integrating AR into a well-structured shopping information system with streamlined operations would be more effective than adding excessive entertainment features. Future enhancements could include the addition of a comment section to facilitate discussion of the role of various virtual interactive systems in explaining surplus food concepts through experience. Emphasis should be placed on integrating sustainable practices into emerging technologies to increase users’ environmental awareness and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Currently, the possibility for the high-value utilization of abandoned oyster shells in the Zhuhai–Macao region of Guangdong Province, China, lacks sufficient attention, leading to resource wastage. Most oyster shells are treated as kitchen waste or directly landfilled, and their potential cultural and material value is not fully realized. To address this issue, this study explores sustainable utilization pathways for local abandoned oyster shells from the dual perspectives of environmental and cultural sustainability. Our research develops a 3D printing material made of oyster shells and designs a series of incense holders inspired by the traditional marine culture of the Zhuhai–Macao area. Within the framework of systematic design, this study focuses on optimizing key aspects such as material regeneration, design transformation, and cultural empowerment, thereby validating the effectiveness of systematic design in material recycling and culturally sustainable innovation. The findings not only provide theoretical and practical support for local ecodesign but also lay a foundation for promoting the synergistic development of environmental and cultural sustainability.

Macao’s signboards are a living mirror of the city’s cultural heritage, presenting the context of Macao’s urban culture in their unique form of existence. These signboards are not only part of the urban landscape but also unique cultural narrators of Macao. As part of the urban locality, signboards, together with the surrounding buildings, create an exclusive urban experience in Macao. This study focuses on signboards. Through investigations, records, and analyses of multiple streets in Macao, it delves deeply into the narrative functions that signboards play in urban space from three perspectives: image, symbol, and event. Especially in urban observation, it examines the subtle details of urban culture from a “local” perspective and analyzes people’s memories and experiences in a “narrative” way, and thoroughly explores the intricate relationship between signboards as a medium and urban spatial narrative. Meanwhile, these three perspectives provide some preliminary thoughts and inspirations for the practice of urban space design and public sign design.