Di Shui Lake Green Belt Linear Park by DLC

DLC: With the establishment of the free trade zone of Yangshan Port, Lin Gang Harbor City in Shanghai is increasingly urbanizing due to globalization and the special nature of its regional transportation importance, history, culture, urban strategies and ecological planning. Lin Gang Harbor City has become a magnet of growth by attracting people who want to live in a part of Shanghai with a large horizon, open blue sky, less pollution and more global economic opportunity.

With a diameter of 2.5 km, a water body of 4.9 km² and a linear coastline 8.2 km long, ‘Water Drop Lake’ is the largest man-made freshwater lake in China and the centrepiece of Shanghai’s urban plan for Lingang Port City. The original 80 m wide green-belt around the lake gives potential unique waterfront opportunities. However, an extensive four-lane road separation from the Port City’s commercial edge, the large round body of water with a featureless landmass edge and the lack of a unique sense of identity create an unremarkable water edge and thus a monotonic experience. This lacked a desirable destination for those who would travel the one-hour journey from central Shanghai to visit or invest in setting up business in the Harbor City area.

As an answer to this challenge, the extensive four-lane road as part of Lingang Port City’s edge is transformed into a grandiose tree lined avenue and is merged with the lakes green belt which is also converted into a tree lined linear sports park. The urban landscape language of both commercial edge and newly built sports park including; paving, planting, outdoor furniture, friendly crosswalks and bollards, help integrate Lin Gang Harbor City and its water edge together as one language.

By establishing a living interface with ‘Water Drop Lake’ and the newly built office-blocks and residential neighborhoods, a new sequence of linear parks hosts a series of paths around the lake including a discovery path, main path and sports path that help animate the lake edge. International events include marathons and triathlons, bicycle racing and charity events were designed in unison within a network of sporting facilities including bike lanes, jogging lanes, nature trails, grand lawns, undulating hills, themed botanical gardens, wetlands, play areas and water sports.

Environmentally sustainable landscape design and its related features are on display as part of a visual educational initiative that illustrates how the ecological role of both architecture and landscape ceases to be a separate agenda. This has created a new breath of life on a previously unremarkable unused lake edge by giving high visibility with a strong identity to the water by blending the urban edge of Lin Gang Harbor City with its large lake and new park.