2017 Winner Suhewan Park Invited Competition
© archifreese © !melk landscape architecture & urban design
!melk wins prestigious design competition for Su He Wan Park, in Shanghai! A jury composed of Shanghai based architects, developers and city officials, preferred !melk's design over the two other finalists James Corner Field Operations (New York), and Grant Associates (Bath, Singapore).
!melk has envisioned a world-class and innovative public space along the Suzhou River (a.k.a. "the mother river") in downtown Shanghai where people can meet, work, relax, find inspiration, and rediscover the centuries old legacy of grandeur and vibrance of Shanghai.
What sets this park apart from any other park in the city, is the fact that Su He Wan Park at 13.6 acres in size is located on top of a significant subterranean shopping center. In addition to being a place for leisure and recreation, the park connects, orients, and draws visitors from around the city and the world to enjoy this waterfront public space.
The unique symbiotic relationship with the shopping center and the park’s multi-level character will contribute to the iconicity of both.
The key feature of !melk’s design are the unique “Floating Forest” structures that rise above the park. In addition to announcing the presence of Su He Wan Park within the dynamic Shanghai skyline, the structures of the Floating Forest provide five core functions:
1) Restoring the ecology of the site;
2) Integrating an innovative water management system;
3) Offering vertical circulation and utility infrastructure;
4) Creating a unique observation tower experience;
5) Reinstating the identity of the indigenous Shanghai landscape that once had a skyline with tree-topped hills.
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