The Guangzhou Green Axis District Urban Design paved the way for new growth in one of China’s major metropolitan areas by bringing nature into the city, connecting people to the river and CBD, and providing a major park and open space for all ages. In the early 2000s, when the project commenced, Guangzhou was a rapidly growing city of approximately 8 million. Today, Guangzhou has a population of more than 15 million, and the project provided the framework for a vibrant, pedestrian-oriented urban setting to meet the growing needs of its population. SWA worked closely with the Guangzhou Urban Planning Institute (GUPI) to plan the new district, providing critical input on building heights and massing, conceptual design of the central axis, vision for a major block system and connections into current and future streets, and a large central plaza along the Pearl River. Viewed locally as one of the most prominent city planning efforts in China, the green axis is recognized as one of the most successful urban design strategies for new city development.