Located on the Yangzi River to the north-east of Nanjing in Jiangsu Province, the proposal for the Nanjing ecological and technological island, by AAUPC Agence Patrick Chavannes + G.C.A. Design Consulting, consists of a development strategy for the Yangzi delta and Jiangsu province. The aim is to define a new image for the city of Nanjing, transforming it into an open economy, developing eco-technological industries and modern services, innovating with existing mechanisms and putting in place the local development strategy of ‘crossing the Yangzi River’. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The project is oriented towards the city in order to preserve a maximum of agriculture and green space on the site. This enables us to design a project in which the urbanization is ‘held’ by the landscape. Hence, the urban volumes are positioned on the edges of the island in a way which permits a green swathe to cross it from north to south. The project is thus based on the concept of ‘internal islands’, which open onto the ‘river of fields’, which preserves a view of the new districts to the west of the river from the edges of the existing town.
This ‘contained’ approach to the urbanization also reveals a green spine which emerges from the existing agricultural layout. This layout is thus held, twisted, compresses and stretched in order to create a sense of dynamic and movement. The ‘contained’ urbanization thus opens up to the exterior of the site, This creates a dialogue between the island and the city which makes it necessary for us to work with the skyline and the urban plan, as well as with the public spaces connected to the river banks.
We are proposing a road layout which is coherent with the urban and landscaping concepts as well as in line with economic concerns. The idea is to create a major north/south axis which crosses the island, serving each district. In addition to this a secondary road network provides secondary connections and interconnects the edges of the island taking advantage of existing dams and incorporating the east/west connections which make it possible to cross the island.
Architects: AAUPC Agence Patrick Chavannes + G.C.A. Design Consulting Location: Nanjing, Jiangsu, China Collaborators: Zhou Xinli, Gwenael Massot, Damien Oberle, Loic Brenterc’h Designer: AAUPC, Guangzhou Institute of Urbanism Client: Administrative Commitee of the Project for the China-Singapore Ecological and Technological Island at Nanjing / Development company for the China-Singapore Ecological and Technological Island at Nanjing Program: Competition for the Urban Design of the China-Singapore Ecological and Technological Island at Nanjing Scope of Work: Urban design competition Role: Winner, general urban design role restructuring of the area / remodelling of the landscape/ economic development / road layout / urban design project / masterplan / operational design Surface Area: 15 km² Cost: 1,000,000 rmb
