Park Zhaoqing, Zhaoqing

Location basics
Because of the fact that Zhaoqing is rich in land resources and the High Technology Industry Development Zone is the Guangdong provincial key industrial park zone for attracting foreign investment, the area is a superior investment environment.
With regard to the general planning the area should be of human scale and meet verified social needs of all-aged citizens and include local culture features, leisure, recreation, sport and celebration. But by creating a landmark design of the highest international level, it could as well act as a smart and ingenious attraction for foreign investors. The location is part of a triangle of waterways that connect the different areas of Zhaoqing. The green hilly park on the North side of the plot illustrates the province’s rich nature.

Initial concept
Our concept is simple, strong and affordable. The North Water Plaza will be dug out sloping from 0 to 8 meters deep. The soil will be used at the South Park Plaza to create a slope from 0 to 8 meters up. This will divide the plot into two areas that will be experienced as more of a human scale. A straight lined wall (the boardwalk) connects both buildings and is the backbone for the infrastructure. Islands in the water plaza will be created by cutting out ponds (like cookies) from the park plaza and placing them mirrored in the water plaza. As part of the boardwalk a central watchtower will provide a clarifying overview over the area.

Schematic design
The conceptual design can be clarified in five steps: 1. starting point is the original site, 2. on the original site the plot borders are projected, 3. the plot is cut clean from the outward areas, 4. the north plot will be filled with water, from the south plot ponds will be cut, 5. the cookies from the South ponds are mirrored as islands into the North area water plaza and it all will be connected by the main wall.

On the Park Plaza all social cultural elements are projected inside a mainly green environment: basketball fields, soccer pitches, running tracks, children’s playgrounds, elderly ‘playgrounds’, areas for badminton, Tai Chi, ballroom dancing, Mah-jong, singing, fly kites, public toilets, kiosks.

On the Water Plaza only the island connected by the main wall will be used for public functions like performance, music and opera. The other islands are mysterious destinations for the solar boats and electric pedalos that can be rented at the boathouse. The wall itself will be fitted with kiosks, covered areas for Mah-jong, stairs and underpasses and its top will be a boardwalk overlooking the area, connecting the buildings and melting all urban elements.

The central watchtower is the shiny centrepiece designed like a giant Venetian Staircase (a double twisted stair to go up and down without any oncoming persons). From the observatory the plaza and its position in the Zhaoqing area are clarified.