Skip to Content

ULI Global

  1. Global
    1. ULI Global
    2. Asia Pacific
    3. Americas
    4. Europe
  2. Knowledge Finder

    Explore our latest research and best practices

    For Members Only

  3. Member Directory

    Connect with members around the world

    For Members Only

  4. Navigator

    Find ULI opportunities to lead and volunteer

    For Members Only

  5. More
    1. Urban Land Magazine
    2. ULI Foundation
  1. Contact
Join ULI
ULI Asia Pacific

Main Menu

  • About Us Will open in a new window About Us Show
    • Overview Will open in a new window
    • Mission & Commitments Will open in a new window
    • Leadership Will open in a new window
    • Career Opportunities Will open in a new window
    • Contact Us Will open in a new window
  • Events Will open in a new window Events Show
    • Overview Will open in a new window
    • Asia Pacific Summit 2025 Will open in a new window
    • Upcoming Events Will open in a new window
    • ULI Asia Pacific REImagine Will open in a new window
    • ULI Asia Pacific Regional Conferences Will open in a new window
  • Membership Will open in a new window Membership Show
    • Overview Will open in a new window
    • Asia Pacific Corporate Partners Programme Will open in a new window
    • Individual Membership Will open in a new window
    • Membership Benefits Will open in a new window
    • Join or Renew Will open in a new window
    • Frequently Asked Questions Will open in a new window
  • Councils Will open in a new window Councils Show
    • Overview Will open in a new window
    • Local Councils Will open in a new window
    • Product Councils Will open in a new window
  • Programmes Will open in a new window Programmes Show
    • Overview Will open in a new window
    • Advisory Services Will open in a new window
    • Awards and Competition Will open in a new window
    • ULI Learning Will open in a new window
    • UrbanPlan Will open in a new window
    • Women’s Leadership Initiative Will open in a new window
    • Young Leaders Group Will open in a new window
    • Partnership Opportunities Will open in a new window
  • Research Will open in a new window Research Show
    • Overview Will open in a new window
    • Capital Markets Will open in a new window
    • Housing Attainability Will open in a new window
    • Sustainability Will open in a new window
    • Technology and Innovation Will open in a new window
    • Case Studies Will open in a new window
    • Bookstore Will open in a new window
  • News Will open in a new window News Show
    • Overview Will open in a new window
    • Press Releases Will open in a new window
    • Blog Will open in a new window
    • ULI in the News Will open in a new window
    • Urban Land Magazine Will open in a new window
ULI Asia Pacific

Search

Full Menu

ULI Asia Pacific

ULI Global

  • ULI Global
  • Asia Pacific
  • Americas
  • Europe
Knowledge Finder Explore our latest research and best practices Member Directory Connect with members around the world Navigator Find ULI opportunities to lead and volunteer

More

  • More
    • Urban Land Magazine
    • ULI Foundation

Search

Main Menu

  • About Us About Us
    • Overview
    • Mission & Commitments
    • Leadership
    • Career Opportunities
    • Contact Us
  • Events Events
    • Overview
    • Asia Pacific Summit 2025
    • Upcoming Events
    • ULI Asia Pacific REImagine
    • ULI Asia Pacific Regional Conferences
  • Membership Membership
    • Overview
    • Asia Pacific Corporate Partners Programme
    • Individual Membership
    • Membership Benefits
    • Join or Renew
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Councils Councils
    • Overview
    • Local Councils
    • Product Councils
  • Programmes Programmes
    • Overview
    • Advisory Services
    • Awards and Competition
    • ULI Learning
    • UrbanPlan
    • Women’s Leadership Initiative
    • Young Leaders Group
    • Partnership Opportunities
  • Research Research
    • Overview
    • Capital Markets
    • Housing Attainability
    • Sustainability
    • Technology and Innovation
    • Case Studies
    • Bookstore
  • News News
    • Overview
    • Press Releases
    • Blog
    • ULI in the News
    • Urban Land Magazine
Contact Join ULI
  1. Programmes
  2. Awards and Competition
  3. ULI Asia Pacific Awards for Excellence
  4. Past ULI Asia Pacific Awards for Excellence
  5. 2020 ULI Asia Pacific Awards for Excellence

Dasha River Ecological Corridor

Dasha River Ecological Corridor

Dasha River Ecological Corridor

Developer: China Resources Land Co., Ltd 

Designer: AECOM 

Location: Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China

By Colin Galloway

Thirty years of rapid economic development in China has led to big improvements in overall living conditions, but has come also at a steep ecological cost, especially in terms of badly polluted inland waterways. In recent years, however, both local and central authorities in China have rolled out policies to regenerate contaminated watercourses, especially in densely populated urban areas. The Dasha River Ecological Corridor is a prime example of how even severely-polluted environments can be successfully rejuvenated.  

Winding for 13.7 kilometres through the Nansha district of Shenzhen, starting from the University district and flowing to the river’s exit in Shenzhen Bay, the corridor is a major initiative that has created almost 100 hectares of new riverside park, forming a greenbelt traversing the western part of the city.  

Though still less than ideal, the river’s water quality has now been improved. The real value of the corridor, however, lies in the quality of the associated parkland, which is divided into a series of three themed landscape zones varying in character according to the areas through which the river runs. The landscape changes as it moves through different urban areas, allowing visitors to track their location as they traverse the length of the watercourse. A network of footpaths and bicycle paths runs continuously along the river on both sides, while intermittent footbridges connect both sides of the river.   

 

Dasha River Ecological Corridor

Authorities were able to create a continuous green belt along each riverbank by removing illegal buildings and bridges and connecting un-owned or idle stretches of land or green space. Indigenous animals and vegetation have been reintroduced, while invasive species were removed. Designers also preserved existing forest and wetland areas to attract more wildlife and fauna and dredged the riverbed in some areas to create new water habitats. Finally, authorities have integrated rainwater management elements to improve absorption, storage, and water purification by (among other things) introducing plant species that can naturally perform these functions, in particular by filtering out pollutants. 

One of the most striking aspects of the project is how quickly it was completed. Although initial planning and site inspection work did not take place until mid-2017, the scheme was completed in stages from September 2019 through March 2020 – a timeline one juror described as: ‘Unbelievably impressive – I cannot think of anywhere else in the world where this big a project could be taken on so quickly and comprehensively.” 

While the compressed timeline is one project feature that perhaps would only be possible in China, the financing needed to undertake an initiative of this size is another aspect that would be difficult to arrange in countries lacking China’s command economy. Nonetheless, the fact that it could be completed at all given the extent of the environmental damage inflicted on the river over several decades of rapid industrialisation is enormously impressive. As such, the corridor serves as a showcase of ecological regeneration that would be instructive to many cities elsewhere in the world.

Dasha River Ecological Corridor

 

 

Dasha River Ecological Corridor

 

 

Dasha River Ecological Corridor

 

 

REImagine Winners

View all thirteen winners for the 2020 ULI Asia Pacific Awards for Excellence.

Contact Us

ULI Global
  • Join
  • Member Directory
  • Foundation

Customer Service

Phone: +852 2886 1620

Email: [email protected]

ULI Asia Pacific

URBAN LAND INSTITUTE ASIA PACIFIC
ROOM 3418, JARDINE HOUSE
1 CONNAUGHT PLACE, CENTRAL
HONG KONG

Mission Statement

The mission of the Urban Land Institute:
Shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide

Footer Links

About Us

  • Mission & Commitments
  • Leadership
  • Career Opportunities
  • Contact Us

Events

  • Asia Pacific Summit 2025
  • Upcoming Events
  • ULI Asia Pacific REImagine
  • ULI Asia Pacific Regional Conferences

Membership

  • Asia Pacific Corporate Partners Programme
  • Individual Membership
  • Membership Benefits
  • Join or Renew
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Councils

  • Local Councils
  • Product Councils

Programmes

  • Advisory Services
  • Awards and Competition
  • ULI Learning
  • UrbanPlan
  • Women’s Leadership Initiative
  • Young Leaders Group
  • Partnership Opportunities

Research

  • Capital Markets
  • Housing Attainability
  • Sustainability
  • Technology and Innovation
  • Case Studies
  • Bookstore

News

  • Press Releases
  • Blog
  • ULI in the News
  • Urban Land Magazine
Facebook. Will open in a new window. X. Will open in a new window. LinkedIn. Will open in a new window. . Will open in a new window. YouTube. Will open in a new window.

©2025 Urban Land Institute. All Rights Reserved. Legal Notices

Sign in with your ULI account to get started

Forgot password?

Don’t have an account? Sign up for a ULI guest account.