Designing with water for climate-proof urban regeneration

Team VenhoevenCS-HOPE-HUADONG has designed the winning masterplan for a new living landscape along the central Pailao River in the Bao’an district in Shenzhen, China. As a rapidly urbanising region located below sea level, the Pailao River Blueway Project will prevent flooding due to heavy rainfall. The riverbanks will be enriched with urban nature, incorporating space for water retention, deep into the neighborhood. The new ecological zones are designed to accommodate social and cultural activities and sports with parks and pavilions. In addition to the mediating ‘sponge effect’ of nature, these banks will enhance economic growth as well as the resilience, identity, and vibrancy of the entire city district. The project exemplifies VenhoevenCS’ visionary approach to nature-inclusive design, reshaping the co-existence of the human and natural environment to ensure a sustainable, healthy future for all life forms.

“Our proposal for the Pailao River Blueway Project is layered. We organised the requested water storage there, but with our integrated approach we will make an existing district climate-proof and enhance urban regeneration at the same time.”
Ton Venhoeven and Yi Yu – VenhoevenCS architecture+urbanism

Request presskit