Team VenhoevenCS wins tender for major riverside redevelopment in Shenzhen

As a rapidly urbanising region located below sea level, the Pailao River Blueway Project will prevent flooding due to heavy rainfall. The riverbanks will be enriched with natural habitats, incorporating space for water retention.

The new ecological zones are designed to accommodate social and cultural activities and sports with parks and pavilions. In addition to the remediating ‘sponge effect’ of nature, these banks will enhance economic growth as well as the resilience, identity, and vibrancy of the city district.

To future-proof the masterplan, the VenhoevenCS team created an innovative design with water to adapt to the consequences of climate change: the construction of ponds, green roofs, more space for trees, urban farming, new parks, wetlands, and soft banks are just a few interventions that organise water storage and determine the new identity of Bao'an. This is crucial because the intensity of rainfall is increasing in this subtropical part of China and the dense development of industry and housing, the dominance of infrastructure, and the limited capacity of the Pailao River make Bao'an vulnerable to flooding.

To redesign the waterway, the team zoomed out far beyond the contours of the plan area. The Blueway Project was considered in relation to the network of rivers flowing to the sea and the dense urban areas in between. The climate-adaptive transformation of these neighbourhoods and their public space became essential to the masterplan. Space for nature also constitutes changes in mobility with nature taking the place of asphalt, less parking and fewer cars. Bao'an remains accessible with mobility hubs, robust public transport, and an extensive network for local, slow traffic.

The concrete quays of the Pailao River will be replaced by wide, soft banks that act as sponges. This riverside urban nature area has been designed as a series of varied parks which prioritise pedestrians and cyclists - a welcome addition to the huge bridges and overpasses for car traffic.

The spaces under the viaducts offer meeting places and sites for cultural activities and local initiatives, staying dry in the rain and shady in the sun.

The masterplan’s sustainable principles have been consistently applied down to the smallest scale of the design, as seen with the pavilions. The pavilions function at any water level because they are on stilts, contribute to biodiversity with green roofs, and are constructed out of wood. They will additionally be run by local entrepreneurs to develop a public offering; along with the urban nature area, the pavilions contribute to Pailao River becoming a revitalised destination for all residents of Bao'an district.