New Turenscape project

This project demonstrated a performative and transformative solution to meet the multiple challenges facing the developing world today: fast urbanization with abandoning of traditional farming wisdom and agricultural landscapes, floods and other water issues threating the new urban residents, and the lack of recreational space and expensive maintenance cost

The landscape architect took a deserted site at the edge of the fast growing city Quzhou as a great opportunity to explore innovative concepts to realize a performative and transformative landscape that is not only a recreational green space, but also serves as an ecological infrastructure that provides holistic ecosystems services. The landscape is created by incorporating the traditional agricultural strategy of crop rotation and low maintenance meadows that enrich the soil with nutrients needed by other crops. An elevated network of boardwalks, bridges, platforms, pavilions and a viewing tower form a circulation network that provides visitors with a rich set of interactions with the mosaic landscape of the “first” and “second” natures, and creates a visual frame for these natures. This network, while detached from the “canvas” of the landscape mosaic below it, effectively transforms the performative and productive “messy” natures into a pleasing array of interactive experiences.