Open and Wild: A Greenway Design Masterpiece

Xiashu Shengye's Award-Winning Landscape Design in Wuhan

The design concept of Open and Wild is rooted in the idea of "Making the City Quiet". The goal was to create a space where people could walk amidst mountains and rivers, experiencing a multi-level transformation of space. The core of the design transforms from lake to forest, providing users with a unique experience of interwoven space and time, and facilitating a dialogue between history and the present.

Open and Wild is part of the Wuhan East Lake greenway, a city-level public greenway. The project is located in the heart of East Lake with Moshan Park as its core. Covering a total land area of about 310 hectares, it is one of the best scenic spots in East Lake, boasting a mature supporting construction and a rich historical heritage.

The design process involved meticulous planning, with the designers fully integrating the Moshan section with the urban master plan, regional comprehensive transportation planning, and municipal special planning. The aim was to highlight the Open and Wild landscape characteristics of the East Lake greenway, reflecting the natural ecology, convenience, and comfort of the greenway by connecting the surrounding functions of the region.

Xiashu Shengye's team focused on preserving historical memory, while shaping a high-level, high-quality, and high-grade landscape space. The design sought to create a diversified greenway experience and provide a more comfortable urban public space for citizens. The ultimate goal was to transform the single park into a multi-functional civic activity center.

The design process involved overcoming challenges such as showcasing the Open and Wild landscape characteristics of the area. The designers focused on two aspects of functional requirements: creating an open scenic area portal that would make the Moshan section a natural ecological landscape miniature of the great beauty East Lake, and designing the post station in detail, fully considering traffic connection, passenger flow distribution, tourists' rest, and supporting services.

Open and Wild is a testament to the power of innovative landscape design. It has been recognized with a Silver A' Landscape Planning and Garden Design Award in 2021, a prestigious accolade awarded to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. This award is a testament to the design's strong technical characteristics, splendid artistic skill, and remarkable level of excellence.