Ocean Flower Island @ Hainan, China

Artist impression: Ocean Flower Island, built in Yangpu Bay, spans roughly 8 km2, putting it among the world’s largest artificial islands.

(Source: l-a-v-a.net)

PROJECT AT A GLANCE

Classification: Mixed Development Location: Hainan, China Approx. Project Cost: US$24 billion Approx. Commencement Date: 2012 Approx. Completion Date: 4Q 2020

OCEAN FLOWER ISLAND

Hainan, a tropical island off southern China, is often described as the nation’s answer to Hawaii. It attracts more than 60 millions domestic tourists each year, as holidaymakers would come to enjoy the province’s ancient towns, warm climate, clean air and lush forests. Off the coast of Hainan, a number of huge construction projects are underway to create artificial islands that support the province by adding to its tourism offer. Among these projects is the Ocean Flower Island, situated in the waters north of Hainan. Although the construction of the site had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ocean Flower Island opened on schedule in late 2020. It is expected to welcome 10 million visitors each year.

DESIGN COMPOSITION

Developed by Chinese real-estate investment group Evergrande, the Ocean Flower Island is named for the graphic design resembling three blossoming flowers in the sea. The artificial archipelago is made of three independent islets with a planned reclamation area about eight square kilometres, putting it among the world’s largest artificial islands, and has 40km of coastline.

The Ocean Flower Island is home to nearly 60 hotels, as well as retail space, museums, an opera house, food streets with restaurants and the world’s biggest conference centre, in cascading building forms. The island is zoned by seasons: ‘winter CREDIT LIST

DEVELOPER: Evergrande Real Estate Group

wonderland’, ‘amber autumn’, ‘spring field’.

Notable developments at the Ocean Flower Island include a 7-star hotel designed by LAVA (Laboratory for Visionary Architecture), an international think tank set up in 2007 with a focus on research and design, with offices in Sydney, Stuttgart and Berlin. The Hainan Ocean Flower Resort is located within the man-made petal-shaped island, linked by a bridge to the island of Hainan. For the hotel, water (ripples, natural geometry of a

A view of Ocean Flower Island.

(Source: china.org.cn) (Source: skyscrapercity.com)

(Source: skyscrapercity.com)

Artist impression.

(Source: l-a-v-a.net)

water drop) + Architecture (rock formations created by water erosion, sea caverns) were the design inspiration. The smooth flowing semi-symmetrical geometry of natural ripples informed the hotel design. Liquefied geometry links the hotel form to the surrounding water, integrating spaces above and below the water line including an elevated green space. Additionally, a marina seamlessly connects to the hotel base to create an exclusive

(Source: skyscrapercity.com)

water experience on each side of the hotel tower. A central glass atrium brings natural light and air into the hotel areas. Sustainable features include a bio-filtration system, solar energy, wind generation and water collection.

The Ocean Flower Island also has a 1.37million sq ft marine world with a water park. The marine world features four themed zones, showcasing a world-class variety of attractions and interactive animal exhibits as well as dining and retail offerings. Adjacent to the Ocean Flower Island Marine Park is the Grand Aquarium, a massive indoor attraction with stunning array of sea creatures including a coral reef system, sharks and manta rays. US-based IdeAttack was exclusively engaged for masterplanning, concept design, and attraction /exhibit development for these parks.

Meanwhile, the Ocean Flower Water Park has six different themed complexes fitted with a number of record-breaking additions and firsts, including China’s first and the world’s longest RocketBlast Water Coaster, as well as the country’s first 6-person TornadoWave. The entire waterpark is centred around a giant snow-topped mountain.

There are 28 characteristic museums planned for the site, among which is the Ocean Flower Island Museum. The museum is composed of eight modern buildings covering an area of about 74,000m2 including 23,000m2 for gross building area.

Additionally, the Ocean Flower Island is set to have more than 20 recreation projects, seven folklore squares, an amphitheatre, an arboretum, convention facilities, a film art centre, a music hall, numerous gardens and parks, ice skating rink, massive central park, world fairyland, sports fields, and sprig cities in the style of five countries as well as luxury residential housing, among others.