| In November 2011, TSW was invited to collaborate with the Dalian Institute of Planning and Design in a design competition for a 6,000-acre expansion of the urban fabric of Dalian, China. With a population of almost 6 million, the rapidly growing city of Dalian has much in common with Atlanta, and the goal of this ambitious project was to create a sustainable, livable, and functional urban environment. The project is part of a larger 54 square mile planning area, and is to be built in conjunction with a new international airport currently under construction on a man-made island a mile offshore. Roughly half of the project’s 6,000-acre coastal site will also be created by filling in a shallow bay.
The resulting master plan proposed by TSW and the Dalian Institute of Planning and Design, divides the project into six separate districts, three of which are devoted primarily to industrial and logistics uses related to the airport. The other three districts are intended for denser mixed-use development of office, hotel, residential, shopping, and cultural facilities that will form the urban core of the new Airport Business District. The entire development plan is built around a framework of large regional parks and greenway corridors that will deliver a wide range of recreational amenities while also serving as the site’s stormwater management and conveyance system.
The plan is also built around a multi-dimensional transportation system which will couple existing high-speed rail and toll freeways with proposed subway and a sophisticated local road system. This transportation system was designed to improve mobility and reduce congestion, while also promoting sustainable modes of transportation, such as cycling and walking.
One of the key challenges of the project was to create a development plan that was both sustainable and livable, while also addressing the needs of the rapidly growing population. TSW’s team of planners and landscape architects worked closely with the Dalian Institute of Planning and Design to develop a plan that would not only meet these challenges but also exceed expectations.
In conclusion, TSW’s collaboration with the Dalian Institute of Planning and Design in the design competition for the 6,000-acre expansion of the urban fabric of Dalian, China was a successful one. The resulting master plan proposed was a sustainable, livable, and functional urban environment that met the needs of the rapidly growing population of Dalian. TSW’s expertise in planning and landscape architecture, combined with the Dalian Institute of Planning and Design’s understanding of the local context, resulted in a development plan that exceeded expectations and set a new standard for sustainable urban development in China. |
