Low Line Sports Park

SPORTS PARK IN JIANYANG, CHINA

Design Zeng Wujingting

The revitalisation of a declining district is at the forefront of the thinking behind this project. Zeng Wujingting is a student at the Politecnico di Milano. The project is located in the core area of the old city of Jianyang, a satellite city of Chengdu, Sichuan Province with a population of about 200,000.

Although Chengdu is about to host major sports events such as the 2021 Summer World University Games and the 2025 World Games, the old part of the town lacks modern sports facilities. Demographically, the population is ageing and the entire city is in decline. Large-scale sports events are capable of attracting people’s attention and generating social and commercial value. The people’s demand for basic sports and leisure facilities however must not be neglected, especially in a forgotten urban space. The project aims to make better use of the existing basic conditions to bring greater social value.

With the rerouting of the railway, the railway line in the city centre will be moved entirely outside the urban area. This leaves a strip of land that can be used in the heart of the urban area.

New function for the railway line

On the site of the abandoned railway space, this proposal can provide local residents a large number of new sports facilities. The original railway route is widened and transformed into cycle lanes. The wider ground space formerly occupied by the railway can be converted into a variety of sports venues. Based on public participation, the project embraces sports fields for football, basketball, badminton, croquet, swimming pools, skateboarding venues and table tennis. The ping pong table and climbing wall are set up on the water’s edge where water sports can be carried out.

Due to the terrain, the height of the railway is lower than the main urban space, and thus creates a spectator mound around the sports field. To meet the need for cultural and social spaces, the design provides

2021 IOC IPC IAKS AWARD FOR STUDENTS & YOUNG PROFESSIONALS GOLD

JURY VERDICT

The design proposal for the Low Line Sports Park in Jianyang impressed the jury with its vision, scope, design response and high level of research. The starting point of the scheme is the removal of a 70-year-old railway line that runs through what is now the centre of the old city. Significant redevelopment of the old city centre is difficult especially in terms of public access to active living. The railway line represents a unique opportunity to both infuse the old city with a major public amenity and positively impact the urban experience for residents. The jury noted that the Low Line Sports Park concept incorporates an extremely wide range of facilities and experiences that offer relevance and meaning to the redeveloping urban neighbourhood. The design includes a sports business complex recognising the need for enhancing the economic vitality of the area and components such as museums, a heritage park, a rehabilitation garden and an art gallery, reinforcing a cultural sensitivity and historical connection to the area. The Low Line Sports Park design proposal is a remarkable accomplishment for an architectural student. It is significant in scale, mature in the overall planning and inclusive in terms of intent. The jury found that this project truly deserves Gold.

an art museum, performance areas for the elderly, playgrounds for children and other facilities. A football field and swimming pool are added to the elementary school and are also open to the public. The children’s play area next to the kindergarten is combined with the rest area for the elderly to accommodate the elderly when looking after children.

Topography and accessibility

A ramp with a slope of less than 8 % connects buildings of different heights and activity spaces in series to meet the needs of barrier-free access. This project makes full use of the original topography and original facilities in the city and adaptively gives it new functions. With the smallest amount of demolition and construction, it creates the maximum value for the development of the city. The introduction of green space, combined with the rainwater collection and recycling system, is capable of effectively changing the microclimate of the area and at the same time contributing to the health of local residents.

A large number of sports and leisure facilities attracts more people and increases activity. Commercial spaces round up the setting. The model of the joint management of social public facilities and schools also reduces costs and improves utilisation. The programme stimulates vitality, creates employment opportunities and rejuvenates this declining city.