Landscape Renewal under the Second Ring Road Viaduct and Adjacent Spaces in Beijing

The Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), the only institution of higher art education directly under China's Ministry of Education, is pioneering a new model of urban landscape renewal through the revitalisation of underutilised spaces beneath Beijing's Second Ring Road overpasses. As urban development shifts from outward expansion to internal regeneration, these long-neglected transitional zones—often abandoned or misused—present significant opportunities to enhance public space quality and urban ecological benefits. The project aligns with Beijing's "Vacant Space Greening" initiative, transforming urban interstices into vibrant, functional spaces. Five students have developed targeted renewal strategies through in-depth policy analysis and spatial typology research to optimise green infrastructure and urban livability. The curriculum employs a multifaceted teaching approach combining "theoretical lectures, case studies, and workshops," systematically advancing through five research phases: preliminary investigation, spatial analysis, layout design, functional planning, and solution refinement. By creatively reshaping these urban fringe spaces, the project not only promotes community co-creation and ecological restoration but also provides an innovative, practical model for sustainable development.