the editor of this publication, the infrastructure research initiative at swa,

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email address: landscape-infrastructure@swagroup.com

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 CON
TENTS
preface | Gerdo Aquino | 6

Essays reading the recent work of swa | Charles Waldheim | 8

landscape infrastructure:
systems of contingency,
flexibility, and adaptability | Ying-Yu Hung | 14
foregrounding | Julia Czerniak | 20
second nature: new territories for the exiled
| Adriaan Geuze and Matthew Skjonsberg | 24

modulating infrastructural
flows to create open space | Alexander Robinson | 30

Case Studies performance

Gerdo Aquino and buffalo bayou promenade > houston, texas, usa | 38
Ying-Yu Hung anning river new south town > miyi county, china | 56
california academy of sciences > san francisco, california, usa | 66
ningbo eco-corridor > ningbo, china | 78

aggregate
lewis avenue corridor > las vegas, nevada, usa | 88
gubei pedestrian promenade > shanghai, china | 100
milton street park > los angeles, california, usa | 114

network
shunde new city > shunde, china | 120
katy trail > dallas, texas, usa | 126
beizhi river waterfront > fuyang, china | 134

increment
central open space in mac competition
> chungcheongnam-do province, south korea | 146
jeffrey open space trail > irvine, california, usa | 154
master plan for the north lake region of chongming island
> shanghai, china | 164
kyung-chun closed railway renovation > seoul, south korea | 174

project credits | 182

the authors | 183
illustration credits | 184
acknowledgements | 184

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 Reading the Recent Work of SWA charles waldheim

what can one say when confronted with the recent for a design practice. Among the perceived benefits are
work of the swa Group, as presented in this publication? It financial stability, cash flow, and general name-brand repu-
would do well to clarify the work’s origins and attributions tation on the business side of the ledger, combined with an
—to locate it in relation to swa’s origins, historical iterations, agility, flexibility, and openness to new ideas traditionally
and diverse contemporary identities. This reading would also associated with younger, smaller, and less well-capitalized
allow one to situate the work of swa in the broader design design shops. Although this formation has many precedents,
milieu and disciplinary discourse of landscape architecture the work of Aquino/Hung et al. presents specific aspects
as a form of urbanism. that deserve attention. swa, originally formulated as Sasaki
This publication and the “Infrastructure Research Walker Associates in 1957, was conceived around the devel-
Initiative” that initiated it are largely the intellectual and opment of a distinct studio culture of multidisciplinary
practical work of Gerdo Aquino and Ying-Yu Hung in the Los collaboration, decentralized autonomy, independent deci-
Angeles office of swa. Aquino and Hung formed a studio sion-making, and design innovation. The formation of the la
of swa in downtown Los Angeles in October 2004. Given studio, and Aquino’s direction of it, could then be read in two
swa’s historic footprint in California, and the proximity of its ways: as an attempt to expand swa’s practice in the context
Laguna Beach office, one would read the formation of this of increasing competition for brand identity, market share,
new studio as motivated by something other than simple and critical distinction among its peer institutions, and as a
market share; the formation of the la studio has at once vigorous extension to swa Group’s origins in a commitment
reinvigorated swa Group’s historic commitments to studio to autonomous studio structure and decisive design direc-
culture and—reinforced the autonomy of its principals. It is tion. Perhaps it was viewed equally as a means for recruit-
possible to view the recent work of the la studio (we may ing and retaining the next generation of design leadership,
efficiently refer to the speculative studio within the corpo- who would find the downtown la location reflective of a
rate body as Aquino/Hung et al.) as forming a contemporary newfound cosmopolitanism in the practice of landscape
alternative to the popular perception of late swa as a large, architecture and planning. Whatever the motivations, the
multinational, corporate landscape architecture and plan- rhetorical shift associated with the foundation of an la stu-
ning firm. This particular form of a smaller studio within a dio was significant, both in locational and linguistic terms.
larger practice is relatively well established, often referred to Among the related rhetorical moves would be the formula-
as a “boutique” design studio operating within the structure tion “Infrastructure Research Initiative”—the impetus for this
of a large corporate design consultancy. The economic publication. The use of the term “initiative” places Aquino
and cultural logics supporting this arrangement are not and Hung on the offensive, carefully setting apart this effort
uninteresting and might be fairly generalized as affording a from the “collaborative studio” format that swa had made
desirable combination of seemingly irreconcilable attributes its calling card. The use of “initiative” further distinguishes

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 0 100 300 500m

central open space the activities of the la studio as addressing more broadly the perceived by some as having grown beyond their origins
in mac competition,
chungcheongnam-do culture, identity, and core values of the swa Group brand. as a studio-focused, design-driven shop. This brings us to
province, south korea. By describing the activities of the studio as “research” (as the first rhetorical clue, and the central claim of the work
This 2007 strategic plan opposed to practice, work, or projects), Aquino and Hung presented here, in the very title of this publication itself:
by swa Group (la Office/
aspire to build a space for experimentation, risk-taking, “infrastructure.” By choosing infrastructure as the object
Aquino/Hung et. al.) for
the International Design and the production of landscape projects as cultural forms. of study, Aquino/Hung et al. enter contemporary discourse
Competition proposed a Aquino/Hung et al., as well as the supportive senior leader- on landscape as a form of urbanism. This is a crafty move,
new concept of “Park as ship of swa, may have intended to use the la studio as a one not without its ironies, particularly given that swa has
City” for the Multifunctional
Administrative City (mac).
kind of design think-tank. One could also imagine that they historically had more to do with infrastructure as an element
hoped to speculate on future forms of cultural production to of contemporary landscape and urban design than could be
reposition swa Group’s work as relevant to design and plan- summed up in this modest publication. Of course the swa
ning professions increasingly focused on design leadership. Group came to prominence at a moment when landscape
This is not to say that swa Group’s impressive half century of architecture was fundamentally committed to the design
landscape design and planning work was not without its his- and construction of urban environments as shaped by infra-
toric contributions to the disciplinary discourse and profes- structure. In describing the activities of the la studio as
sional aspirations of landscape architecture, urban design, research into infrastructure as an element of urban order,
or planning. Rather, it seems possible that the swa Group Aquino/Hung et al. consciously appropriated one of the most
found that while they had been extraordinarily success- resonant of contemporary topics in landscape research, one
ful with global relevance and reach, they were increasingly that would simultaneously inform a reading of swa Group’s

reading the recent work of swa 9

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 current commitments as well as shed light on a rereading of Landscape’s renewed relevance as model for contempo-
the firm’s history. rary urbanization was first highlighted by European archi-
One reading of Aquino’s aspirations in rebranding swa tects and urbanists describing North American cities such
through the la studio is evident in his identification of infra- as Los Angeles (Kenneth Frampton), Houston (Lars Lerup)
structure as one dimension of recent interest in landscape or Atlanta (Rem Koolhaas). It has come to stand for a pro-
as a form of urbanism. The disciplinary discourse and design found critique of the perceived failures of urban design to
methods associated with landscape urbanism emerged effectively respond to the spatial decentralization, neoliberal
over the past decade as a critique of the disciplinary and economic shifts, and environmental toxicity found in those
professional commitments of traditional urban design and cities. Equally, it promises an alternative to the reactionary
an alternative to “New Urbanism.” The critique launched cultural politics of traditional urban form, in which environ-
by landscape urbanism has much to do with urban design’s mental health, social welfare, and cultural aspiration are no
perceived inability to come to terms with the rapid pace of longer mutually exclusive. Although landscape architects
urban change and the essentially horizontal character of may not have been the first to make such claims, the disci-
contemporary automobile-based urbanization across North pline has mounted spirited support for its expanded agency
America and much of Western Europe. It equally has to do as the field diversifies and grows in design literacy.
with the inability of traditional urban design strategies to Meanwhile, over the course of the past decade, the
cope with the environmental conditions left in the wake discipline of urban design has been largely preoccupied
of deindustrialization, with increased calls for an ecologi- with traditional urban form, and has been relatively slow
cally informed urbanism, and with the ongoing ascendancy to appreciate the import of landscape’s newfound cultural
of design culture as an aspect of urban development. The relevance. These developments are not unrelated to the
established discourse of landscape urbanism is seemingly rapprochement between the design disciplines; they have
enjoying a robust middle age, at once no longer sufficiently been informed by calls for interdisciplinarity with respect
youthful for the avant-gardist appetites of architectural cul- to the challenges of the contemporary city as well as in
ture yet growing in significance as its key texts and projects design education.
are translated and disseminated globally. The discourse It is in the context of urban design’s unrealized promise
on landscape urbanism, while hardly new in architectural that landscape urbanism has emerged in the past decade.
circles, is being absorbed into the global discourse on cit- Landscape urbanism has come to stand for an alternative
ies within urban design and planning, nowhere more rapidly within the broad base of urban design historically defined.
than in the East Asian context of urbanization, particularly Incorporating continuity with the aspirations of an ecologi-
through international design competitions for new cities in cally informed planning practice, landscape urbanism has
China and South Korea. been equally informed by high design culture, contemporary
It is no coincidence that over this same period of time, modes of urban development, and the complexity of public-
landscape architecture has itself enjoyed a relative renais- private partnerships. Although it may be true that the urban
sance within design culture. This well-documented resur- form proposed by landscape urbanism has not yet fully
gence of what had been described by some as a relatively arrived, it would be equally fair to say that landscape urban-
moribund field of intellectual inquiry has been particularly ism remains the most promising alternative available to
fruitful for discussions of contemporary urbanism. In addi- urban design’s formation for the coming decades. Landscape
tion to its relevance for describing the contemporary urban urbanism offered a culturally leavened, ecologically literate,
field, might landscape have potential to resonate with the and economically viable model for contemporary urbaniza-
larger territorial subjects of urban planning? Ironically, the tion as an alternative to urban design’s ongoing nostalgia for
potential for landscape to inform planning comes from its traditional urban forms. One evidence of this is the number
newfound ascendancy within design culture and the deploy- of internationally prominent landscape architects who have
ment of ecology as model or metaphor rather than through been retained as lead designers of large-scale urban devel-
the longstanding historical project of ecologically informed opment proposals in which landscape offers ecological func-
regional planning. As this point is a potential source of con- tion, cultural authority, and brand identity. Another would be
fusion and is likely to be a topic of debate, this essay offers a the fact that swa Group has invested in Aquino/Hung et al.
provisional reading of how landscape might profitably inform the task of rebranding their global enterprise along the lines of
the present and future commitments of urban planning. contemporary interests in landscape as a form of urbanism.

10

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 Yet swa has been engaged in planning projects con- around professional identities and often held as partner-
cerned with urban infrastructure for a long time. This fact ships into larger multidisciplinary organizations increasingly
has much to do with swa’s origins in a specific moment of organized around integrated project delivery and mirroring
design culture, when the new field of urban design was being the corporate structure of their clients. This transition found
invented. At that time, the professional practice and aca- many firms moving internationally to insulate themselves
demic study of landscape architecture had much to do with and balance the risk of turbulent domestic business cycles.
the description and delivery of urban form. The invention of During this time, swa transitioned to its third generation
urban design as a design discipline effectively happened at of leadership and reorganized itself as an employee-owned
a conference in Harvard on that subject in 1956. It coincided firm. swa was poised to deliver urbanization virtually any-
more or less precisely with Hideo Sasaki and Peter Walker where on the planet, but design culture and the disciplinary
forming swa (1957) and with Sasaki’s appointment as Chair construction of landscape architecture had changed radi-
of Landscape Architecture at Harvard (1958). In this milieu, cally in favor of “starchitects,” brand-name designers, and
and in the institutional context of Harvard’s Graduate School celebrity landscape architects. By the late 1980s and early
of Design, one proposal for the development of the Urban 1990s, as economic imperatives and media culture pushed
Design program at Harvard (founded in 1960) was that the design disciplines to embrace an explicitly branded form
it would be administered by the Department of Landscape of design authorship associated with design excellence, swa
Architecture. had successfully smuggled a collaborative, studio-based
This intriguing historical possibility was recently docu- form of landscape practice into an ever more globalized
mented by Richard Marshall in the Harvard Design Magazine’s marketplace for urbanization. They found themselves in
issue on the history and future of urban design.¹ It would demand globally, frequently called upon to synthesize the
have rehearsed nearly exactly the origins of urban planning effects of multidisciplinary design teams including the work
at Harvard, which was itself hatched and housed for a time of land planners and civil engineers responsible for urban
in the Department of Landscape Architecture. In the cultural infrastructure. They were not, however, well positioned to
context and pedagogical profile of landscape architecture at market themselves as an idea-driven, research-focused
Harvard during the period 1956–1958, urban infrastructure design studio closely associated with the design philosophy
was rightly considered a disciplinary domain associated (read style) of a singular figure in the field, as were increasing
with landscape architecture. In this regard, one could read numbers of their competitors. The challenge of generational
Sasaki Walker Associates, swa, and subsequent iterations transition from founders to next-generation leadership has
of the firm as having stemmed from an ethos based in col- haunted design practice in North America over the past cen-
laborations across disciplines, in which landscape architects tury. By some, the model that swa committed to in Aquino/
played a central role in the shaping of urban form. In the Hung et al.—of a boutique design practice operating within
economic and social contexts of the late 1950s and 1960s, a larger firm—has a long lineage. In architectural practice,
the firm first rose to prominence through servicing a range of the equivalent example could be Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
design and planning clients, largely in sites of rapid urban- in the 1950s and 1960s. In Chicago, Walter Netsch developed
ization and growth. This tendency continued with increasing a boutique studio practice, bringing his own clients and staff
international engagements for corporate clients, private to bear on a range of award-winning design projects under
developers, and public-sector actors engaged in urbaniza- his name but with the benefit of SOM’s support infrastructure
tion. From the late 1960s through the 1990s, however, design and brand name. The combined economic and cultural forc-
culture and the discipline of landscape architecture shifted es on contemporary practice produce a hybrid in which the
dramatically in favor of smaller design offices, increasing individual design talent (and all that it promises in marketing
disciplinary and professional distinctions between landscape or media) is embedded within the larger service firm (and all
architects, urban designers, and architects; a simultaneous that it affords in terms of project experience, market capital-
development was the increasing role of civil engineering and ization, and support staff).
land planning professionals in competition for the manage- So the question persists: what can one say when con-
ment of urbanization. During this transition—one that has fronted with the recent work of the swa Group, as presented
been described as a shift from a Fordist to a post-Fordist in this publication? As this brief introduction is far too limited
economy—landscape architecture and planning firms trans- to aspire to anything synthetic or comprehensive, a reread-
formed themselves from studio-based collaboratives formed ing of three featured projects might be apt. All three display

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 anning river new south proposal point to emergent fields of research, particularly
town, miyi county, china.
the intersections of river hydrology, synthetic habitat
The scheme by the swa
Group (la Office/Aquino/
construction, and landscape or agricultural ecology as ele-
Hung et. al.) was conceived ments of cultural heritage. The scale, ecological potential,
in 2010 for a site in the and historical literacy of this proposal illustrate the range
Chinese province of Sichuan.
of commitments and areas of research fostered within the
space of swa’s la studio and the Infrastructure Research
Initiative there.
In their entry for the Chongming Island International
Design Competition of June 2008, in Shanghai, China, the
studio asks two provocative questions: can we farm habitats?
Can the city improve nature? Their project “Cultured Ecology;
Ecological Culture,” implies that these are relevant ques-
tions for contemporary urbanists to consider, but the more
probative dimension of the proposal revisits the hybridity
of historic ecologies with synthetic environments seen in
their Anning River project. In Chongming Island, we see this
uncanny twinning of cultural heritage (formerly the province
of preservation-minded architects) with highly engineered
wildlife habitat (formerly the province of restoration-
minded landscape architects). This project proposes a third
approach between putting back the city or putting back
nature—a synthetic hybrid of infrastructures, urban and
ecological. This hybridization and multifunctioning of urban
infrastructure form recurrent themes in the work of swa
Group’s la studio.
A third example of the Infrastructure Research Initiative’s
ongoing concerns can be found in their entry for the
“Multifunctional Administrative City” (MAC) International
Design Competition of 2007, in South Korea. Here, a con-
ceptual inversion was proposed through which the city is
fundamentally reconceived as park—a reformulation of the
basic arguments on behalf of landscape as urbanism. The
proposal can also be read as an historical reinterpretation of
an appetite for an ecologically leavened urbanization in the the western tradition of urban landscape understood through
context of massive social, economic, and cultural transfor- urban infrastructure. This historical literacy regarding urban
mations associated with global processes of urbanization. type, block structure, and landscape design reveals the
In their June 2009 entry for the Anning River International studio’s deep affection for landscape history as a medium of
Design Competition in Miyi County, Sichuan Province, China, city-making, whether in the tradition of Olmsted, Alphand,
swa proposed the organization of a new town through or others.
a reading of the site’s historic ecologies and contempo- These three projects from Aquino/Hung’s la studio adapt
rary hydrologic networks. The project, “Future Historic contemporary tropes of landscape urbanism practice and
Ecologies,” proposes the introduction of a range of ecologi- reshape them to the service of massive ongoing urbanization.
cal agents including bio-film matrix strips to stimulate the They form an interesting hybrid between the contemporary
activation of functioning wetland ecologies. These synthetic avant-gardist aspirations of much design practice globally
agitations of the existing river ecology are situated within and an enlightened rereading of the histories and traditions
an historical and interpretive reading of cultural landscape of regionally informed ecological planning practice. They
and ecological heritage. These aspects of the Anning River rehearse much of the discourse around landscape urbanism

12

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 master plan for the from the past decade or more while formatting themselves (be it landscape, ecological, or other) has emerged as the
north lake region
of chongming island, to the repetitive standardization of the international design most robust and fully formed critique of urban design and
shanghai, china. competition. Although North American discourse on urban- planning’s failure to produce meaningful, socially just,
This 2007 design by swa ism and landscape has tended to maintain a distinction and environmentally healthful cities. The structural condi-
Group (la Office/Aquino/
between larger corporate service firms and design-driven tions necessitating an environmentally modified urbanism
Hung et. al.) addresses
global issues of sustainable boutiques, the list of competitors to these urban design emerged precisely at the moment when European models
development, carbon competitions reveals the strong structural symmetries of urban density, centrality, and legibility of urban form
sequestration, and wetland between the celebrity design firms and their corporate appear rather remote and when most of us live and work
restoration, while providing
for the educational and
counterparts. in environments more suburban than urban, more vegetal
recreational needs of the First, virtually all competitors represent flexible teams than architectonic, more infrastructural than enclosed. In
residents of Shanghai. built from a range of international consulting practices. The these spaces, the work of the swa Group’s la office and its
design firm built around the identity of a single architect Infrastructure Research Initiative proposes infrastructure as
or landscape architect and the firm built on a collective a medium of design informing both landscape and urban-
corporate identity are converging rapidly on a model of col- ism. Although the la studio may have begun as an initiative
laboration. Second, it is no longer a safe assumption that by Aquino/Hung to correlate design and research practice
the firm identified through a single principal designer is less with the City of Los Angeles, while attempting to recruit and
well-capitalized than its corporate cousin, nor can one make retain the next generation of design leadership, it has recent-
easy assumptions regarding their forms of ownership or ly come to portend the future direction of the firm more
profitability. Third, the celebrities and their corporate coun- broadly: Aquino has been named swa’s new president. The
terparts are often engaged in joint ventures, partnerships, scalability of his accomplishments from an insurgent studio
and buyouts. The design fields in general, and large multidis- in downtown la to the global scale of swa Group at large
ciplinary urbanism firms in particular, are trending toward a remains to be proven; this publication is timely, revealing
state that has existed in advertising for many years in which a both the objects and subjects of contemporary design cul-
stable economy is found between a few large, global brands ture as it continues to transform in relation to urbanization
that act as holding (and trading) companies for a countless driven by mobile international capital.
number of boutique design shops.
It is no coincidence that Aquino/Hung et al. identified
the discourse around landscape urbanism generally, and
n ot e s
infrastructure more specifically, as an entry point into con-
temporary readings of landscape as a cultural form. Over 1 Richard Marshall, “The Elusiveness of Urban Design: The Perpetual Problems of
the past decade, an adjectivally modified form of urbanism Definition and Role,” Harvard Design Magazine, no. 24, Spring/Summer 2006, pp. 21–32.

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 miyi county china

anning river new south town

Future Historic Ecologies

The farming industry in China sustains 1.2 billion people and A 200-hectare site, which lies south of the historic district of
Miyi County and straddles the Anning River, was selected for a
contributes up to 20 percent of the nation’s gross domestic prod- master planning proposal that would serve as a new ecological
uct. Growing populations and improved technology has increased resort district for the city. This new district is able to accommo-
date a population of 95,000 with large commercial and cultural
agricultural demand, resulting in an intensification of labor, facilities located at the north end of the site, and residential
increased use of chemical fertilizers, and reliance on irrigation. homes located along the east bank of the river. Open space
along the river is created by the manipulation and enhance-
In response, China has embarked on an agricultural reform ment of a set of complex hydrological systems. “Future Historic
program to revitalize these sectors through new developments, Ecologies” was the name given to the project in reference to the
conceptual design process, in which each of the existing hydro-
investments in improved irrigation and water management, and logical systems was evaluated in terms of its historic function,
through environmentally sustainable production practices. The current performance, and potential to be leveraged into serving
the new district as a regional tourist destination. These existing
city of Miyi County sits within the Anning River Valley in the south- systems consist of the Anning River levees, a new hydro-electric
western portion of the Sichuan Province. The river valley is part dam, mountain stormwater runoff channels, agricultural canals,
and the surrounding floodplain. As a network they present the
of the second largest alluvial plain in the region, covering an area
opportunity to define a new set of performative parameters that
of 34,700 square kilometers. The rich soils of the plain support will become the basis for hydrological infrastructure, which engages
residents and functions in water filtration and flood control.
over 200,000 hectares of agriculture, with 76 percent of the
At present the Anning River is polluted and unsuitable for
3.4 million residents of the valley relying on farming for their most water programs; the mountain stormwater channels are
intermittent and often flush out large concentrations of sedi-
livelihood. The government of Miyi County supports initiatives for
ment, while agricultural canals carry chemicals and fertilizers
improved agricultural practices and seeks to transform its primarily that also dump into the river. A solution to these issues was
developed through two different approaches: one that retrofits
farm-based municipality of approximately 200,000 residents into
the historic system for future use, and the other which creates
a unique and exemplary resort town—with tourism, recreation, new or parallel systems for specific performative goals. The
retrofitted hydrological infrastructures include the Anning River
and commercial/residential centers—which maintains agriculture
and existing mountain channels and agricultural canals. Each
as part of its economy and identity. of these elements is carefully modified to suit new program
requirements. For instance, the concrete levee walls of the river
are altered to accommodate vegetation that can resist flood-
force flows, while a rubber dam within the waterway maintains
minimum water levels during dry seasons, as well as offering
an aesthetically pleasing reflecting surface year round. Both
the mountain channels and agricultural canals are structurally

56 performance

SWA_01_Performance FINAL.indd 56 06.12.10 16:07

 1a

improved and planted with green buffers to help improve water

quality. The new hydrological system is composed of a series
of water bodies parallel to the river that function as a large
scale “treatment train.” Polluted river water is diverted into the
system at the North Lake where artificially constructed floating
wetlands absorb pollutants and begin to improve water qual-
ity. Water then flows through the designed “central park” where
the meandering flow helps to collect sediment and continue
the filtration process. Further south, a wetland park contains
and treats the water before it reaches its final destination in the
South Lake—a large swimmable water body with fully cleansed
water, able to support ecological habitat and human recreation. 1b

Thus the system is organized along a gradient from partially

2
treated to fully treated water, and from a technological, artificial,
and formal approach to a more naturalistic and interactive one.
Resort and local amenities are integrated into the larger
hydrological strategy. The North Lake is designed as an exten-
sion of Miyi County and is surrounded by community buildings.
The South Lake, with clean water, naturalistic islands, and rus-
tic architecture serves as a resort. The east side of the river is
family-focused, with a new recreational complex adjacent to the
residential homes. A boardwalk running along the river levee is
lined with local shops and connects the North and South Lake.
The iconic Phoenix Tower building, near the center of the site,
sits along the boardwalk and serves as a bridge to the South 1c
Lake, while anchoring the entire development. A large portion
of the waterfront is maintained for agricultural use, but with
variety of program including educational centers, farmhouse
restaurants, pathways, and model organic farms.

1a – 1c
The cultural landscape of the region
is characterized by its rich agricultural
heritage, a result of the area’s natural
system of dramatic mountains, large
rivers, and alluvial valleys. The master
plan proposes a mutually beneficial
relationship between traditional land
uses and future developments.

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 site master plan and land-use strategies open-space diagram land-use diagram

2 3 4

AR
3
10
4
20

5
11

12 18

19
6
1 Panzhihua-Xichang agricultural land residential
Highway irrigation canal park government
21
2 New Bridge mountain creek park commercial
3 Hydro-Electric Dam park corridor sport
4 Outfall Channel central park city plaza
13
5 Moon Lake sports fields beaches
14 6 Rubber Dam wetland park internal waterway
7 Anning River forest open space anning river
8 Culture & Arts District city plaza public green space
16
9 North Lake beaches protected green space
22 10 Family Rec Center
7 internal waterway
& Aquatic Park
anning river
15 11 Sports Complex
12 Central Park
17
13 Wetland Park
14 Working Agriculture
15 South Lake
16 Medium-Density Housing
17 Dock Housing

23 18 Promenade District
19 Landmark Building
20 Constructed
Floating Wetlands
21 Terraced Outfall
to South Lake
22 Wetland Outfall
to South Lake
23 Outfall into Anning River

0 50 100 200 300 400 500m

2 3 4
The master plan for the 200-hectare site The master plan employs a wide range of Land use is arranged according to a number
provides housing and amenities for a pro- open-space types to accommodate both the of factors, including water program, prox-
jected 95,000 residents as well as attrac- local community and tourists, while taking imity to the existing town, and access to
tions and facilities for tourists and regional full advantage of the programmatic poten- open space. Special features include the
visitors. At the core of the design is a highly tial of the improved hydrological system. preservation of a large parcel of waterfront
programmed water treatment system that agriculture and a new linear water treat-
runs parallel to the existing Anning River. ment system.

58 performance

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 existing site hydrology

5 6

d
a
c

f h

a Site Boundary
b Hydro-Electric Dam
c Mountain Runoff Channels
d Flow of Mountain Runoff
e Main Irrigation Channels
f Secondary Irrigation Channels
g Outfall Channel
h Anning River

5 6 7
The existing hydrology is complex and chal- A hydro-electric dam (shown with gates View of the treatment system at North Lake,
lenging. At the core is the Anning River, a partially open) will divert water from the where water is diverted from the Anning
turbid and powerful river fed by intermittent upper Anning River to the outfall channel. River and begins the filtration process,
mountain streams. Running parallel to the The warm water (created as electricity passing through a series of floating wetland
river and following its contours are irrigation is produced) flows through the outfall islands. The entire filtration system
canals for agriculture and aquaculture. channel, cooling down before it reenters becomes a central landscape feature for
the lower Anning River. the new district.

Anning River New South Town 59

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 proposed hydraulic design strategy

8
TRANSITIONAL SYNCHRONOUS
INFRASTRUCTURES INFRASTRUCTURES
Elements bind the existing infrastructures with Diversion enables ideal synchronicity between
synchronous infrastructures. infrastructure, ecologies, and cultural elements.

Sculptural Diversion [Hybrid] Pattern Art Ecology Lake

Water Infra Sediment Treatment Train Water Infra Sediment Settling

+WLn (1079.5)
1 WLF20 (1077.65) Design quality begins as a hard edge (the dam) Formal patterns of wetland vegetation and treat-
WLF50 (1078.25)
and transitions to the formal lake and ecologies. ment areas.

2
+1076.9
Access is provided by embedded walkways. Walkways on two levels provide access.

3 Drift Island [Hybrid] Water Meander

+WLn (1072.53) +1076.9
WLF20 (1077.29)
WLF50 (1077.84)
Water Infra Edges Providing Graded Access Water Infra Sediment Treatment Train, Check
to Waterfront Dams, Wetlands

Island appears to be an accumulated drift, held Water slowly trickles, meanders, and cascades
together by a series of hard edges, and inter- down through falls and check dams, providing
rupted by beaches in between. integration of water and people movement.

4
Heavy forest hides signs of development. Edge is graded to allow access under bridges,
WLn (1072.5) and for people to walk alongside the water
WLF20 (1076.96)
WLF50 (1077.49) Access boardwalk on both sides of the beach. cleansing technology.
1074.5
+
+
Agricultural Amphitheater

51074.0
+WLn (1072.25) Natural-Pattern Wetlands
WLF20 (1075.98)
WLF50 (1076.47)
+
Water Infra Sediment Treatment Train, Water
7
Quality Polishing, Natural Habitat
6

1 Sculptural Diversion [Hybrid] Design quality is a mix of natural forms, new

2 Pattern Art Ecological Lake ecologies, and large wetland areas.
3 Cultural/Infra-Front Boardwalk
4 Water Meander Area is accessible through boardwalks, which
5 Agricultural Amphitheater lead inside bird viewing platforms.
6 Accessible Terraced Agriculture
8
7 Natural-Pattern Wetlands
9 8 Mountain Stream Outlet
Mountain Stream Outlet
11
+1072.7
10 9 South Boardwalk/Fragmented Levee
Water Infra Sediment Settling/Treatment Areas
10 Drift Island [Hybrid]
11 Eden Lake
Design quality is wild, organic, and sculptural;
building off of the Natural-Pattern Wetlands.

Walkways allow for bird watching.

Eden Lake
+WLn (1068.18)
WLF20 (1072.67)
WLF50 (1073.33) Water Infra Minimal, Outlet to Anning River.

Edges maximize human and water interaction.

Islands in the center build wildlife.

Access to beaches, watercraft rentals/docks,

and boardwalks.

8
Due to the scale and ambition of the project, and (new/ideal) infrastructure are fully
the master plan contains a complex and integrated, and retrofitted, in which
diverse set of water infrastructures and (existing) infrastructure is improved upon.
strategies. The project proposed two main Transitional infrastructure links the
types: synchronous, in which program synchronous with the retrofitted features.

60 performance

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 RETROFITTED
INFRASTRUCTURES
Existing infrastructure must be retrofitted with
new cultural infrastructure. These retrofits
weave through and interact with site systems.

Cultural/Infra-Front Boardwalk

Water Infra Levee Wall, Outfall Channel (moving

warm water), Rubber Dam (still water)

Design quality of the levee wall is clad in stone

and riprap. The boardwalk undulates and floats
over the levee to reflect a “cultural front,” not
just an infrastructural front. Views of the dam
and other cultural moments provide breaks from
the levee’s linearity. The minimal structure of the
boardwalk allows for greater vegetation growth
and distinct moments of overhang.

Access walkways float over the outfall channel

Constructed Wetlands
in places with arbors and shade.

North Clay Bottom

Accessible Terraced Agriculture

City Plaza
Water Infra Irrigation Canals

Minimal intervention highlights the formal

structure of the agriculture. 9

Access via levees provides additional views.

Access bridges cross over irrigation canals.

South Boardwalk/ Fragmented Levee

Water Infra Stepped Levee Introducing Riverside

Pocket Ecologies.

Materiality of the levee and boardwalk changes

and becomes fragmented. The levee “splits”
apart to become small stepped gabion walls.
Pieces of the boardwalk connect to the walls
and continue access through the site.
a
Plaz
City
A low path runs below flood level, among the
ent
gabions, while a high path runs above. nkm
dEmba
tate
Vege
d walk
Boar

t
men
bank
d Em
Wetlan
ke with
h La
Nort

9
Prototypical water treatment system and
open-space concept. At the North Lake,
biological treatment islands are arranged
as “flower” pads and aid in an early stage of
water treatment.

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 exploded axonometric

10

10
Axonometric drawing showing how the
existing hydrological infrastructure along
the Anning River is retrofitted into central
programmatic elements. Here, the dam
outfall wall becomes a support structure
for a suspended boardwalk containing park
programs, a local commercial area, and an
arbor/water feature.

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 Landmark Building
Commercial Buildings
Canal Pergola

Planter with Trees

Footprint of Canal Pergola

Sports Field
Interpretive Pylon at Walk on
Top of Wall at Outfall Canal

11 12

11 12
The iconic Phoenix Tower lies at the center Bird’s eye view of the new development. The
of the New South Town and includes a South Lake in the foreground (which will
public amphitheater, retail space, and be swimmable) is spectacularly flanked by
educational exhibits. agricultural areas, lake housing, a natural
ecological and wooded resort island, and
the Phoenix Tower.

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 sections of levee system

Flood-Reinforced Planting Area

Structured Reinforcement

20-Year Flood Line

Overlook Pavilion
for Dyke System
Impervious Clay
AG Boardwalk

Clay
13 14

k
Pa r
ear
Lin
alk
dw
oar
ee B
Ed ge
Wetland
uth Lake
with L ev
So k
eation Tr
ail wal
ith Recr ard
Levee w e r Bo
Canal Low
Irrigation
ural Land
Agricult
e
Lak
on
Mo

15
20 m East Promenade

Reinforced Planting Area

5 m Levee Boardwalk

Lower Boardwalk

3 m Bike Path

19 m Levee Moon Lake

13 14 15
The preserved agriculture creates an Water from the Anning River is kept The modified river levee includes a series of Detailed section of the east boardwalk and
important cultural landscape that continues separate from water in the lakes due to overlooks with paths that lead down below adjacent Moon Lake. The drawing illustrates
to be productive, but also contains a rich the engineered clay wall and reinforced the 20-year flood line and bring visitors levee construction and the integration of
assortment of paths, interpretive facilities, structural dyke system. close to the water. Reinforced planting beds infrastructural systems.
and landscape types. Clay is used to form an help stabilize levees and allow for vegetation
impervious barrier within the waterways. on this lower path.

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 16a

Wetland Island
16b 17

Bird Blind

n d
Wetla
ttern
atu ral Pa
So uth N

16a + b 17
People are encouraged to use and interact Throughout the site, the boardwalk changes
with the project. The system of water in response to specific hydrological and
becomes an amenity for local residents ecological conditions. Seen here, where the
while also serving to clean water and grade of the water is near that of the roads,
provide new habitat. the boardwalk navigates users away from
traffic while providing integrated cover for
observing wildlife.

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 shunde china

shunde new city

Ecological Derivatives

The 36-square-kilometer competition master plan for Shunde New The design for Shunde New City took inspiration from land pat-
terns found within the delta. This concept was translated into a
City brings together environmental infrastructure and layered
framework for individual islands, comprised of multi-use villages
transportation to create a new, multinodal urban fabric. The city of adjoined by a series of greenbelts, water corridors, trails, and
wetlands. Regional connectivity was achieved through intercity
Shunde sits within the Pearl River Delta. Design for the New City
rail, in addition to a local monorail system, water taxis, and
will weave together 72 square kilometers of the delta into a freeway connections. This network of transit provides a strategy
for integrating housing, commercial, and high-tech research
network of island villages. The delta is the second-largest bird
development into a more harmonious connection with the natu-
migration and estuary habitat in Southeast Asia. It is the seasonal ral environment. Interconnected transportation expands the
local industries and offers opportunities to reduce traffic, while
home to thousands of bird species, including swans and cranes
promoting a vibrant, dense, and efficient place to live.
that travel from as far as Russia and Australia to stay in the warmer A strategy for land utilization maximizes the social and
economic value of Shunde New City, while expanding its eco-
climate of Southern China. Situated within this fertile delta, Shunde
logical potential. The master plan divides the city into districts
is bisected by waterways and has a history of fish farming, that include a civic and cultural center, financial center, office
campus, academic campus, and resort. Within these districts,
agriculture, and flower cultivation. In recent years, the city has also
individual islands are developed with residential, industrial,
become a manufacturing center, known for the production of many commercial, educational, and cultural uses. Narrow streets
and smaller city blocks promote a human-centered, walkable
household appliances and electronics.
environment. These 200-by-200 meter city blocks contrast with
much of the proposed development in China, which tends to
anticipate heavy traffic and expedient development, often call-
ing for city blocks twice that size. Aside from providing a more
intimate environment, the smaller block sizes also allow for
greater architectural variation and for the preservation of the
local cultural identity. Buildings have no setbacks from the
street, creating comfortable, tree-lined spaces that add to the
site’s human-oriented design.
Proposed waterways facilitate transportation and provide
flood-storage capacity for the city. This system also collects
wastewater for treatment in four sewage plants, based on natu-
ral cleansing systems. Urban corridors and greenbelts line or
criss-cross the network of rivers and canals. These designed
greenbelts incorporate wetlands and bioswales, forming a sys-
tem for urban runoff filtration. Forested edges along the green-
belts establish wildlife sanctuaries and generate habitat for
migratory bird populations. This urban forest edge also offers
the potential for carbon sequestration. A comprehensive trail
network parallels the greenbelts, encouraging recreational use
and educational interpretation.

12 2 network

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 1a 1b

1c

1a – 1c
The landscape provided inspiration for the
design of the new city. Its setting, in the
Pearl River Delta, is characterized by agri-
cultural use as well as a network of canals
and waterways.

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 concept sketches
2a 2b 2c

2d

2a – 2d 3 (opposite)
Early conceptual sketches offer a diagram- Three-dimensional perspective of the wa-
matic look at an integrated urban and natural terways and proposed infrastructure that
pattern depicting four urban and transporta- connect Shunde New City into a web of
tion centers. Inspired by the movement of transportation and urban life. The canal
water within the Pearl River Delta, landform system moves through the city, providing
islands, waterways, and forests weave recreational corridors for residents.
together both human-made and natural sys- Bridges and tree-lined promenades invite
tems into a comprehensive green network. interaction with the waterways and facilitate
movement through the different islands.

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SWA_03_Network FINAL.indd 125 06.12.10 16:19
 master plan greenbelt diagram

4 5

urban forest
wetland

0 200 600 1400 3000m

4 5
The site master plan shows in detail the The diagram of the proposed greenbelt
network of waterways and interconnecting highlights the urban forest and wetlands
greenbelts, along with proposed develop- which make up the interconnecting green-
ment (which includes civic, financial, belt system. Wetlands and bioswales are
residential, resort, and educational uses). implemented for water filtration and also
help redefine the water edge. The urban
forest creates contiguous linear habitat
for wildlife and migratory birds.

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 hydrological systems diagram circulation diagram transit diagram

6 7 8

existing water taxi regional rail light rail

proposed trail network
monorail transit center
gate
subway

9 Point Tower

Commercial Development

Platform extends to become

plaza overlooking axis

ferry
Highway
Parking below as train
Rail
buffer to highway car
light rail +train
retail

6 7 8 9
The water system diagram illustrates how The diagram of water taxi routes and trail The final circulation diagram shows a map A diagrammatic section shows how the ver-
proposed canals and rivers link directly to networks shows one layer of transporta- of other means of transportation which run tical layering of transportation and land use
the existing levee pump and gate system. tion within the site. Shunde is designed as through the city. A monorail loop linking come together at the multimodal stations.
Waterways define the various areas of a walkable series of neighborhood island village centers and bicycle trails following Regional rail, local rail, water taxi, bus,
Shunde New City, but also become a way of villages with water taxi stops located at the rivers, canals, and boulevard corridors, freeway and pedestrian trail systems link
traveling between islands and offer another roughly 500-meter intervals. provides local connections. The main rail in the context of greenbelt gardens and
means of recreation. lines, along with the subway offer regional building structures.
connections.

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 fuyang china

beizhi river waterfront

Infrastructure of Pleasure

The city of Fuyang in Zhejian Province, like much of China, is The growth of Fuyang into a metropolis has led to a series of
city initiatives to index available open space for the potential
experiencing a familiar pattern of prevalent development—
to maximize program and accessibility, including a government-
transitioning from an agricultural and industrial society to that of sponsored competition for the reestablishment of the Beizhi
River as a viable hydrological and ecological corridor. The
a service-oriented city. With rapid expansion into water-based
17-kilometer waterfront serves as a framework for the redefini-
infrastructure, recreation, and increasing density in the residential tion of Fuyang, providing a new identity for the region, oriented
toward a balanced lifestyle of work, recreation, and leisure. The
sector, infrastructure becomes a mechanism for defining purpose
concept of “Acu-pleasure” takes the attitude that the removal
and program, while establishing a set of relationships between city of two dams within the Beizhi River presents an opportunity to
create a layered ecological and recreational landscape for Fuy-
and landscape. Fuyang is located within the Yangtze River Delta,
ang. Strategic interventions [acupuncture] seek to remove the
bisected by the Beizhi River and also influenced by the Fuchun impediments and identify new linkages, enhance human experi-
ence [pleasure] while strengthening the ecological viability of
River. The river corridors fluctuate based on tides and seasonal
the region. The design approach to restoring the river includes
flooding, ultimately affecting accessibility. This case study focuses the protection and creation of densely vegetated parks along
the embankments, and the filtration of stormwater within the
on a proposal for the transformation of the Beizhi River into a net-
immediate watershed. Removal of the dams helps to restore
worked ecology based on water recreation and sports programming. former water fluctuations and to reintroduce a historical set of
riverbank conditions, based on fluvial morphology. Improved
The Beizhi River runs through Fuyang, with the city’s downtown to
hydrologic flow reestablishes the Beizhi River as a habitat and
the north and Dongzhou Island to the south. Ancient sediment ecological network that could extend and connect development
throughout Fuyang and Dongzhou Island and into the larger
deposits from the larger Fuchun River formed an island, land mass
regional context of the Fuchun River.
that caused a diversion in water flow that became the Beizhi River. The linear waterfront stretches 17 kilometers and is fo-
cused on open-space planning and development. Design for
Fifty years ago, in response to seasonal flooding, the river was
the corridor is driven by strategies that include reconnecting
dammed, and since then has served as an irrigation reservoir for the north-south forest corridors from the mountains to the riv-
erfront, establishing wetland habitats along the riparian edge
Dongzhou Island. In contrast to the Fuchun River, which serves as a
to increase species richness and cleanse stormwater runoff,
major transportation artery for the region, the two dams along the retaining the existing agricultural landscape to ensure economic
viability to farmers, and encouraging an array of sports and
Beizhi River impede water flow and limit its use, both recreationally
recreational programs throughout the year. Landscape linkages
and commercially. Recent development demands aimed at maximizing defined by trails, boardwalks, linear parks, and seasonal ripari-
an corridors provide interconnectivity and become an ecological
open space and waterfront land use in the face of increased popu-
framework for improving water quality while nurturing habitat
lation density call for a rethinking of the role of the Beizhi River. and wetland vegetation. Programming ideas for the corridor
incorporate a variety of water-based recreation such as sailing,
dragon-boat racing, waterskiing, canoeing, and kayaking, mixed
with land-based recreation such as biking, hiking, running,
kite flying, and picnicking. As a network of infrastructure these
various systems of ecology, history, recreation, and economy
serve as the basic framework of city and growth, as well as an
infrastructure of pleasure revealed through public enjoyment
and well-being.

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 1a

1b 2

1a + b 2
The project site is located along the Beizhi stormwater runoff, and provide an array of The city of Fuyang has a history of paper-
River in Dongzhou, a growing area of the sports and recreation programs to reinforce making dating back to the Song Dynasty
city of Fuyang. Design for the 17-kilometer the city’s vision as a destination for activity (960–1279). Archeological excavation in
waterfront open space aims to reconnect and wellness. Fuyang revealed the earliest ancient paper-
forest corridors from the mountains to making workshop ever discovered in China.
the riverfront, establish wetland habitats Today the paper industry remains an impor-
to increase species richness, cleanse tant part of the area’s history and contributes
significantly to its economic development.

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 context diagram

r
ive
gR
tan
an
fuyang hangzhou Qi

Decompression Zone
Ecology + Pleasure
Five Harvest Island

r
Beizhi River Waterfront
ive
unR
ch
Fu
ive
r Dongzhou Island
iR
izh
Be New Sand Island

site ailments Local Connector Isolated Disturbed Industrial Development

Hard Edge Landform Ecosystem Toxic Runoff

Earth Dam Disrupted Low River Flow Antiquated Utility Corridor Nitrogen Runoff
Aquatic Ecology Infrastructure Transmission Towers Irrigation Canals

3 4
The map provides a regional orientation surrounds the site, enveloping what can The overarching design concept for the river-
of the project site. The Qiantang River be seen as a “decompression zone” front is based on the idea of “Acu-Pleasure.”
splits to form the Fuchun and Beizhi Rivers. surrounding the waterfront. This area This begins with the removal of dams within
The city of Fuyang lies at this juncture, becomes a tranquil valley, surrounded the Beizhi River, allowing the river to flow
southwest of Hangzhou. Islands are formed by mountains and combining ecological freely. The idea of acupuncture is realized
where the rivers have diverged and are preservation with recreation and pleasure. as physical interventions that rectify the
incorporated into the design for the Beizhi site ailments and redirect the area towards
River Waterfront. Mountainous terrain a restored and balanced equilibrium.

138 network

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 network infrastructure

Economic Link to
Hangzhou

Industrial Area

Preserved Communities Hang Gliding

Recreational Park Treatment Wetland

Botanic Garden Golf Course

Waterfront Park Beach Communities

Waterfront Shopping Commercial Street
Preserved Communities
Waterfront Commercial

New Sports District

Fuyang Downtown

urban acu-point

commercial acu-point

community acu-point
Jiang-nan Commercial industrial acu-point
District
recreational acu-point

Ferry to Hangzhou

Huang Gong Wang Forest Park

Beizhi River
Open Beizhi River

Motor Boat Marina

Yacht Club

Fuchun River Diversion

Fuchun River Diversion

Fuyang Harbor

ecological acu-point

water recreation acu-point

hydrology acu-point

5
Concept diagrams define the different
“acupuncture points” that become part of a
landscape system which includes ecology,
hydrology, culture, and commerce. These
systems are given identity through different
types of programming, and function togeth-
er through a network of paths, corridors,
and destinations.

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 master plan

Zho
ngq
iao
Ro a
d
r
i Rive
Beizh
Go
lf R
oa
d

6 7
The landscape master plan for the 17-kilo- becomes part of the Beizhi River system, Bird’s eye perspective of the development of
meter-long site is focused on a variety of creating higher-velocity water flow and Dongzhou Island and its connection to the
recreational uses and accessibility, while increased wildlife. Beizhi River Waterfront.
maintaining ecological function and an ap-
propriate scale. By removing the dams, the
hydrology of the larger Fuchun River system

140 network

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 diagram of pedestrian circulation

*
*
*

* points of interest
10 km race route *
urban loop
points-of-interest walk *
pedestrian promenade
competition lanes
triathlon race route
community paths in eco-corridor

diagram of hydrology and ecology

0 100 300 500 700 900m

stormwater flow
seasonal water flow
yearly water flow
riparian corridor
park land
agricultural/forest corridor
river-edge plantings

8 9
Circulation through the site is primarily The ecological component of the design is soil structure, and erosion. Without the through structured, man-made eco-
multimodal (accommodating bikers, integrated into the development strategy. presence of dams, the river moves unob- logical systems that support recreation
inline skaters, joggers, and pedestrians). Through a combination of habitat zones and structed, providing an opportunity for water and interpretive education.
Trails are set aside for pedestrians and connected green corridors the entire river- activities such as speed boating, sailing,
joggers, while others are meant to serve front is incorporated into the larger land- and kayaking. A small diversion just south
those on wheels. scape region. An understanding of hydrology of the river brings water eastward into
was an essential part of the project, as wa- Dongzhou Island and creates an amenity
ter flow continues to affect site topography, for smaller boats. Water quality is achieved

Beizhi River Waterfront 1 41

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 programmatic zones

10

MOUNTAIN
SPORTS ZONE

NT SPORTS FIELDS
RO
E RF ZONE
AT
EW ECOLOGICAL
TIV AD
E
ZONE
AC N E N
ZO ME
RO
RP
VE
RI NE
ZO

L
ICA
LOG
ECO E
Z O N

rock climbing biking jogging kayaking canoeing rowing crew dragon-boat racing sailing ecological preservation

10
Diagram highlighting use. Recreational
activities are established throughout the
site, as Fuyang has been named the “City of
Sports.” The variety of programs provides
opportunities for bike and boat races as well
as marathons and triathlons. Passive recre-
ation is incorporated into the design as well,
creating a multifunctional corridor.

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 11a

11d

11b

11e

11c

11a – 11e
Various activities can be accommodated different types of watercraft due to its
throughout the site, while the transforma- depth, which allows for both recreational
tion of the river and surrounding landscape events and leisure.
is accentuated. Along with everyday use,
the multimodal paths provide venues for
specific races and athletic competitions.
The river accommodates a variety of

Beizhi River Waterfront 143

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 12a

12d

12b

12e

12c

12a – 12e
These renderings show the site as a series redesigned. Street trees and vegetation pro-
of systems and interconnected corridors. vide visual appeal while serving to reduce
Pathways follow the river embankment, with stormwater and the urban heat-island
portions of the circulation network breaking effect. With sidewalks and pathways, the
off to form seating structures and docks. The street too becomes multimodal.
main road artery along the waterfront is also

144 network

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 13

13
Additional bird’s eye perspective of the
entire site including the riverfront as well
as Dongzhou Island.

Beizhi River Waterfront 145

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