Commissioned by the Bao’an District Water Bureau of Shenzhen City, China, the architectural firm Venhoeven CS, in collaboration with Shenzhen Hope Design Co. Ltd. and HUADONG Engineering Co. Ltd. (in charge respectively of architecture and urban design, landscaping and aquatic design), have presented the master plan for an urban intervention on the banks of the Pearl River. The overall objectives of the 736,000 m2 project are to mitigate the risk of flooding, to provide spaces for socialisation, cultural activities and recreation for the citizens of the district, and to enhance the district’s economic growth.
Due to its geographical location in the Pearl River Delta, with increasing rainfall intensity in the region and extensive industrial and housing development, the Bao’an district could suffer from flooding in the coming decades. To avoid this risk, the presented urban planning project foresees the construction of ponds, flood zones and wetlands, large landscaping interventions with more space for trees, terraces, urban gardens, and other green infrastructures. The idea is that these fronts between the urban surface and the waters of the river will act as shelters thanks to their “sponge effect”. In this way, the plan would fulfil its first objective.
Regarding the second objective, the design of the urban natural space in Bao’an district gives priority to pedestrians and cyclists. To this end, it integrates numerous parks and landscaped green areas, as well as bicycle paths, in what is a complement to the huge bridges and flyovers for car traffic that cross the intervention area. At the same time, the master plan foresees meeting places and spaces for local initiatives and cultural and sporting activities, with pavilions, squares and parks designed for this purpose. Most of the new facilities, built in wood and with green roofs, will be erected on stilts, so that they will be safe from flooding. At the same time, the development plan will create a sanctuary for biodiversity, providing new opportunities for recreation and well-being for citizens.
Finally, the plan foresees that local entrepreneurs and employees will manage the new facilities, which, together with the possibilities they open up, will boost economic activity in the area. The banks of the Pearl River will become a centre of attraction for the inhabitants of the district, which will be revitalised, safeguarded from flooding and reclaimed for nature.
