01. Wuhan Yangchun Lake Business District

Location: Wuhan, China

Architect: Sasaki

Area: 4450 Acres

The rapid expansion of China’s High Speed Railway network has been instrumental in driving economic growth throughout the country at both the city and regional scale. Evidence of this initiative’s success is the pairing of the Wuhan High Speed Railway station and the new Yangchun Lake Business District. Designed by Sasaki in collaboration with a diverse interdisciplinary team including Arup, JLL, and the Wuhan Planning & Design Institute, the master plan was recently approved by the city, marking a major step forward as Wuhan embraces a progressive yet realistic vision for the district.

(Source:https://www.sasaki.com/projects/wuhan-yangchun-lake-business-district/ )

Strategies

1. The first strategy was the naturalization of the existing canal network throughout the district, along with the ongoing implementation of the wetland park. The formerly channelized waterways are restored to mimic natural processes.

2. Second, a strategy of constructed wetlands along the lake’s edge filters urban runoff while providing critical habitat for a variety of avian, amphibian, aquatic, and terrestrial species. Designed with a series of boardwalks and trails that link to other recreational pedestrian routes throughout the district, the wetland establishes contiguous public access along the once privatized waterfront.

3. The third strategy was the creation of an extended East Lake Greenway system throughout the entire district that follows existing drainage patterns and major roadways.

4. Fourth, a series of pocket parks are interspersed in each of the district’s neighborhoods, allowing for all residents to live within a 10 minute walk of a public landscape.

5. The fifth strategy was the creation of a new central park. Built upon a former solid waste landfill, the central park re-purposes this once noxious use into a vibrant recreational and ecological amenity.