When the wind gently blows through tall grasses, cows and sheep emerge
Framed by majestic mountains and rolling hills, the Chengdu basin has accommodated many settlements. As Chengdu continues to grow, the mountains are no longer a remote backdrop, instead becoming part of city’s bustling foreground. Tianfu City is a new community that couples urban living with scenic mountain settings.
The project site offered rich topography with ponds and brooks dotting ravines, yet in need of landscape and ecology restoration. Tianfu City leveraged the development opportunity to create an ecological, authentic and immersive landscape.
At the outset, Sasaki established four overarching goals: firstly to create a public park showcasing Chengdu’s mountainous terrain and vernacular landscapes; restore a healthy aquatic ecology by improving existing waterways and drainages, and re-establish a ‘blue and green’ network; preserve and reintroduce native species to foster a diverse flora and fauna; provide a wide range of outdoor activities and immersive landscape experiences that engage residents and visitors.
Based on topography, the site is divided into two interconnected neighborhoods, the North and South Valleys, each with distinct characteristics. Meandering brooks and a series of terracing wetlands converge into two scenic lakes. Riparian buffers between development and waterways prevent soil erosion and help ensure water quality in the lakes.
Upon entering the site, one navigates through bamboo groves, undulating stone walls, a tea pavilion, and reticulated brick walls before arriving at the first view of the lake, the humpback bridge across the water, and a natural mountain backdrop.
Red sandstone is an abundant local material used in traditional buildings. Inspired by this simple yet distinctive material, the stone wall creates strong visibility along the busy city road and helps mitigate traffic noise. Its undulating profile accentuates the rolling terrain and offers a contemporary flavor to this traditional material.
A playscape comprised of three themed zones, Hill Adventure Park, Water Adventure Park, and Field Adventure Park, encourages children to experience nature and develop their love for outdoor adventures. Like a cloud floating above the park, a 25m long by 13m tall play structure at the peak of the hill is a netted maze supported by steel structures, where children explore three-dimensional challenges.
“The Cloud” is in itself a visual highlight, an artful reflection on the lake, and a beacon at dusk. “The Ripple” in the Water Adventure Park is constructed with layers of thin granite, where children can wade in the pool and play with the ever-changing ripples, with cheerful footsteps. “The Maze” in the Field Adventure Park draws inspiration from Chinese folk song lyrics: “when the wind gently blows through tall grasses, cows and sheep emerge.” Gusts of wind make wavy patterns in the meadow where children can wander and play. Boardwalks and pea gravel paths lead curious children to explore nature.
Project: Chengdu Tianfu City Landscape / Location: Tianfu Vanke City, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China / Prime landscape architect: SASAKI / Project team: Tao Zhang, Ming-Jen Hsueh, Julian Wei, Binbin Ma, Ponnapa Prakkamakul, Andrew Sell, Gandong Cai, Mengting Ge, Anthony Fettes, Kara Slocum, Xiaoran Du, Zhengyang Wang / Local landscape architect: A&N Design, BSED / Architect: RSAA/Büro Ziyu Zhuang / Client: Vanke / Area: 1,730,000m², phase1 – 135,000m² / Completion: 2019 / Photograph: ©Holi Photography (courtesy of the architect), ©SASAKI
