Situated just across the bay from Hong Kong, the city of Shenzhen has transformed from a small fishing town of 30,000 to a booming city of over 10 million people in 40 years – and has grown over 200 times its original size since 1980. Along the way, the character of Shenzhen’s bayfront was radically altered. Over 65 km2 of marsh and shallow bay were filled to create more land and even nearby mountains were mined for fill. The landfill operations all but obliterated the native mangrove and salt marsh shoreline, and with it, rich marine, intertidal and coastal wildlife habitat. In a partnership with local clients, SWA’s Shenzhen Bay Coast Master Plan and its resulting projects will restore acres of mangrove coastline and marsh habitat, deepen the bay to reverse siltation, and design sensitive public access to these naturalized features. In addition to coastal restoration, Shenzhen’s new urban population demands new open-space amenities. Inland from the shore, the Master Plan proposes a more intensively recreational park, which would include a ferry landing, aquatic center, playfields, picnic sites, concessions, an amphitheatre and other attractions. Finally, a new planned residential community will extend from the existing street grid, and offer pedestrian connections to the restored coastline and recreation spaces.
Kaohsiung Waterfront Renovation
SWA, in association with Morphosis Architecture and CHNW, developed a vision for the future of Kaohsiung Harbor Wharfs, which includes 114 hectares of prime waterfront property formerly used for cargo shipping. The site, located in the shipping heart of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, was historically subjected to environmental neglect and rampant uncontrolled development....
OCT Bao’an Waterfront Cultural Park
Bao’an Waterfront Park is an essential amenity for future residents of Shenzhen’s rapidly expanding Qianhai area, and is also an important connection between the urban fabric and the ocean. The key landscape frameworks for the park are its riverine interpretation aspects and water’s edge programs. The “Eco River” will bring water experiences into the green spa...
Terry Hershey Park
The park design includes a one-mile hike and bike trail system, a pedestrian underpass linking the park to an existing trail system, bridges over the creek, and automobile parking. Gabions were used as an environmentally friendly means of slope retention in a floodway and as a tool for creating places for people to enjoy the wooded environment. Sinuous banks a...
Lianjiang Park
Located between a mountain and river in rapidly growing Changsha, Lianjiang Park commands a critical juncture between city, nature, and a changing way of life. While the Lianjiang region had always been intimately linked to the water, recent urban development has resulted in a significant loss of wetlands, habitats, and the culture they give rise to.
In...