Minhang Riverfront Regeneration

SPARK is delighted to announce the completion of the Minhang Riverfront Regeneration, the initial phase of SPARK's much wider regeneration master plan of the public space of Shanghai's Minhang district.

The Minhang Riverfront is an ambitious story of urban regeneration. A mere 24 months ago it was a decrepit overgrown riverfront faced by low grade industrial warehouses with remnants of paths, industrial and disused utilities evidence of many years of change and neglect within the district.

Project location

Site before and after upgrading works

Aerial view

SPARK's proposal creates a 750 metre long recreational environment that meets the government and community's desire for a sense of place that facilitates better pedestrian connections and promotes a more sustainable living environment.

Riverfront event plaza

SPARK's design concept used the single cell Diatom as a recurring motif. Diatoms are single cell algae of many beautiful forms that naturally clean water. We have abstracted the Diatom form into two- and three-dimensional objects that animate the river embankment telling the story river and environment in regeneration.

Landscape concept

The design of the riverfront includes continuous green ribbons of walking, jogging and bicycle tracks and 3 pedestrian bridges that link the residential, education and business communities together.

The landscape was designed by layering four distinct zones that enhance views create and for the first time accessibility to the river. The linear zones take on an abstracted riparian form and house innovative pockets ofactivity with lawns, cafés, a sports park and event plaza.

SPARK designed a bespoke wayfinding and furniture strategy that contributes to the storytelling and accessibility of the transformed environment.

Green ribbons of walking

Stephen Pimbley, Partner SPARK said "The Minhang project exemplifies how urban open space can be a key factor in civic regeneration and social sustainability. It has instilled a sense of civic pride in the district and set a local benchmark for the quality of life for future residents".

Lim Wenhui, Partner SPARK said "We were really excited about the potential goals of the project to our imagination to bring new life to the riverfront and provide a safe, attractive environment that invites residents, students, visitors and business people discover the forgotten riverfront and celebrate its rebirth".

ARCHITECTS: SPARK

CLIENT: Shanghai Nanbinjiang Investment Development Co.,Ltd.

CHIEF ARCHITECTS: Stephen Pimbley,Lim Wenhui,MIN Wei

DESIGN TEAM: Danny Yan,Luca Maccarinelli, ZHU Xilin,LI Menghao,Jason Ye,YANG Xi

SITE AREA: 23,787 m2

DESIGN PERIOD: 2018-2020

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD: 2020-2021

PHOTOGRAPHY: Shine lab

Source: <https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ZZiHrbXCxCG1QRfAEppKxg>

Edited by Jia Mengyuan