Architecture firm ODA has designed a 700,000 square foot, tiered development as a gathering spot for Chengdu. The team was invited to participate in a new master plan for the city in China, and their design includes a diverse program, from four residential towers to a commercial park of retail and green spaces. As ODA states, the plan is an urban experiment in rearranging priorities for the public realm.
Designed to challenge the typical typology of a street being defined by a transportation grid that prioritizes vehicles over people, the design includes free-flowing entry points by car, ferry and foot. Increased retail spaces are laid out in a continuous loop to engage the community, while the traditional street experience allows for indoor and outdoor engagement. ODA’s design opens up the apartment towers to elevated terraced gardens overlooking retail below, while the roofs of the shops remain open to the sky,
At the ground level, architecture intertwines with urban agriculture, green roofs, courtyards and water features, while the lower level connects to the water canals, bars, clubs and nightlife. Offices and residences throughout are designed with direct outdoor access, including outdoor stairs, shaded seating areas and community gardens. The tiered typology and sunlight towers were made to address issues such as light and air quality, while the program is staggered to create pockets of privacy and connectivity.
Eran Chen, Founding Principal, said that, "We strive to create more intimacy within communities through designs that offer a balance between indoor and outdoor, where we can institute technologies that promote health and wellness, and create a community that feels culturally authentic and yet universal. This development offers an opportunity to test new forms of urban arrangements that aren’t possible in established metropolitan areas. It calls for innovation, creating a neighborhood where the many pieces fit together in a new way."
News via ODA
