Tiexiangsi Temple Riverfront
Tiexiangsi Temple Riverfront
The Tiexiangsi Temple Riverfront was conceived as part of efforts to support a new community for workers of an adjacent, recently built, high-tech zone in the suburbs of Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan Province. By restoring an historical temple complex and nearby ancient canal, the project has created a combined open-space/mixed-use facility that has transformed a formerly run-down neighbourhood into a vibrant and dynamic community.
The project occupies some 13,300 square metres of space in the vicinity of the historic but dilapidated Tiexiangsi Temple. The land parcel is dissected by an ancient canal that had long fallen into neglect, with hardscape banks and poor water quality preventing its use as a recreational facility.
Using the temple as an anchor, designers implemented a mix of heritage renovation, modern planning and architecture, and traditional Chinese landscape gardening, which involves not just western-style gardens but also a full range of activities, including pavilions, theaters, and commercial stores. The restored river acts as another centrepiece, featuring a combination of gardens, pathways, and cultural facilities along its length.
The jury was particularly impressed by the authenticity of the newly-created public space, and how the combination of heritage restoration and natural landscaping on the one hand is complemented by a calculated mix of retail buildings, such as teashops, restaurants, and art galleries on the other.
According to one juror: “Its open space and retail at the same time. We’ve seen [open space] entries in the past that are just linear green spaces that often have very elaborate engineering structures and bridges. This one is quite a bit more organic, perhaps learning lessons from vernacular urban space.”
Another juror commented: “This contrasts to many public spaces in other big tech zones, which are often just tall blocks separated by a 200 metre green zone that the local design institute then has to find ways to humanise. But the intention here is to really integrate all of these public spaces with low-rise and mid-rise high-density [commercial] buildings.”
The park has proved a magnet for local residents, drawing a large and diverse range of users. Steep rises in local property prices since construction began in 2009 are a testament to its success.
Another aspect noted by the jury was the project’s replicability. This applies not just in terms of design but also in its financing, which involved a mix of public and private initiatives.
Construction was funded initially by the local government, which was motivated to make the new town more habitable and attractive. Operationally, however, and in recognition of its particular skillset, the venue was handed over to a smaller private-sector developer, who subsequently leveraged the large numbers of park users to its commercial advantage. As a direct result, the capital cost of construction has been mostly or completely recouped by way of higher tax revenues and local property prices.
Such cooperative ventures are fairly common in constructing publicly-oriented projects in China, though not usually to the same degree of success. In this case, however, they have resulted in both not only a facility that is both commercially viable and outstanding as a community resource, offering a financially sustainable development model that can be deployed elsewhere across the country.