Natural Landscape Elements Key to Jinji Lake Design

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The Suzhou Industrial Park Administrative Committee (SIPAC) is responsible for development of the 70-square kilometer area around the lake, with the goal of creating a high-tech business and residential community that meets the standards of multi-national corporations. The area will eventually be the home to more than 600,000 people. EDAW was hired to produce the Jinji Lake Master Landscape Design - encompassing public open space, parks and detailed landscape design around the lake and at the waters edge. The master landscape design divides the lake into eight distinct neighborhoods, connected by a continuous park system. Construction on the first neighborhood began in late 1999; and as of May 2003, two neighborhoods, Cityside Harbor and the Grand Promenade, are currently nearing completion. The Jinji Lake landscape design recently won a national design merit award from the American Society of Landscape Architects in 2003.

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World-Class Landscape Design

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• Develop a hierarchy of open spaces, elements, and functions for different uses.
• Design an interesting and dynamic public open space and waterfront design.
• Incorporate active commercial and civic uses into open space to provide economic vitality.
• Provide a variety of recreational and educational opportunities.
• Create a unique identity for each neighborhood.
• Establish a cohesive visual and public connection around the lake.
• Use the latest techniques for naturally improving the lake water quality.
• Orient residential streets to the lake to allow views of the waterfront.

Public open spaces at Jinji Lake are realized in a series of culturally resonant, sensitively sited and designed, and exactingly executed parks and plazas. The newly built communities of Cityside Harbor and the Waterfront Promenade are on the edge of a mixed-use City and create large-scale public gathering places that for the first time allow the residents of Suzhou to gather and recreate informally in large open spaces.

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Design Philosophy

The design philosophy of Jinji Lake is a minimalist palette focused on raising the awareness of the beauty of the natural landscape element rather than the more conventional Chinese landscape archetypes of enhancing natural features behind shrubbery or ornate park structures.

The design promotes the use of traditional craftsmanship with local materials, such as granite and wood. The choice of materials complements the traditional beauty of old town Suzhou, and provides a global, modern interpretation of the rhythms, materials and colors of the old city. The craftsmanship at Jinji Lake has set new standards in China by which other public spaces are now being judged. The details are simple and easily maintained, restrained and well executed. The materials are all locally made or derived, and the color palette is natural and subdued. The plantings are indigenous and sustainable year round. The focus on open space and a sense of expansiveness is amplified by the seamless connection of the sky, water, and plaza at the horizon line.

The landscape features range from a festival plaza to intimate boardwalks; a waterfront promenade to a rolling picturesque park and wooded camphor forest.

These parks and open spaces are open day and night all year round, changing in character and subtleties over the seasons. Safety and maintenance procedures have been implemented and maintained as envisioned in the design. As Chinese culture embraces the idea of public open space, the peoples?EUR??,,????'?????<

Artistic Features

SIPAC understood that attracting world-class companies would require that the Jinji Lake development encompass certain western customs and high-tech amenities that would blend the two cultures. This challenge resulted in a fusion of art and culture that extended local traditional craftsmanship and built an international appeal into the landscape design.

EDAW?EUR??,,????'?????<cannonm@edaw.com), and Jacinta McCann (mccannj@edaw.com), can be reached at 415-433-1484, and online at www.edaw.com

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