Waterline Park l Lab D+H

Waterline Park: Transforming a Forgotten Space into a Vibrant Community Hub

Waterline Park’s challenge was formidable: a long, unattractive gutter flanked by residential housing blocks. Despite its lack of visual appeal, this precious public space was available to residents. The vision was to turn this uninviting area into an engaging community space bustling with activities.

Waterline Park: Breathing Life into Neglected Land

The Waterline Park’s design approach centered around introducing water, creating many water features to transform the site into an enjoyable public area where residents could come together and feel a sense of belonging. The project began with a daunting task: rejuvenating a forgotten strip of land to bring joy to the community.
Although surrounded by residential buildings, the site resembled an abandoned land rather than a planned green space. The narrow width of only 40m and steep slopes presented significant challenges. However, the entire residential area boasted a substantial water body, making the ground’s green space highly valuable for public use.

Diverse Waterscape: Water as the Heart of the Landscape

The highlight of the design was the extensive use of water to revitalize the Waterline Park. The landscape connected four fragmented parcels of land through interconnected water features. Inspired by natural rivers, including valleys, waterfalls, canals, shorelines, and islands, these water elements were expressed through abstract design, creating a multi-functional water system. The water features seamlessly digested the height difference and blended with the surroundings, offering diverse landscapes and numerous interactive elements, resulting in a rich and engaging space.

Activity Space: Where Water and Community Interact

The design extended the primary water system across the site, creating various stopping points. These spaces offered more than just water; they allowed people to rest and take in the surroundings. The ever-changing topographies added layers of interest and surprise, turning the area into a lively and dynamic public space.
These stopping points, each with unique features, became spaces for people to sit, relax, and connect with nature and the community. Social interactions flourished, and a strong sense of belonging among residents developed within this vibrant environment.

Ecology Benefits: A Green Urban Canyon

Ecological considerations played a significant role in shaping Waterline Park into a green urban canyon. Leveraging the water resources from Lu Lake, the water feature’s level could be adjusted according to seasonal changes. The water channel’s design allowed for varying depths and speeds of water flow, enabling control of the water feature’s interaction at different times and areas. Additionally, the park doubled as a rain garden during flood seasons, assisting in dredging the lake while providing a functional space for residents.

To be continued…

Waterline Park’s focus on water-based landscapes created a unique urban oasis that escaped the bustling city. As a result, more people chose to reside in the surrounding community after the park’s completion. Plans for completing Sections 3 and 4 were already in progress, with construction scheduled over the next three years.
Waterline Park is a shining example of how thoughtful urban planning and innovative design can create a functional space and a beautiful and inviting community hub. It has successfully transformed an unappealing space into a cherished gathering spot, breathing new life and vitality into the area and strengthening social cohesion among its residents.

Project Info:

Architects: Lab D+H
Area: 48400 m²
Year: 2022
Photographs: Bing Lu, DiD Studio, Holi
Lead Architects: Zhongwei Li, Nan Lin
Construction Company: Chengdu Shuren Landscape Engineering Co., LTD
Lighting Consultant: HITTON Lighting Consultant
Structural Design: Sichuan Yinhe Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.
Design Team: Jiajun Wang, Wenzhe Jiang, Yijia Zhu, Jie Xu, Xiujuan Li, Yufei Fan, Jingyu Wu, Xiaowen Pan, Qiran Zhang, Yiting Hu
Waterscape Consultant: Sushui Design
Cooperate With The Construction Drawing: LEDA Landscape
Architects: Zhouyu Design Group Co., Ltd
Curtain Wall Design: China Construction Shenzhen Decoration Co., Ltd
Bim Design: Chengdu Yingjie Engineering Technology Co. LTD
Signage & Wayfinding Consultant: Liangxiang Design
Soft Outfit Design: Chongqing Kaji Culture & Art Co., Ltd.
Installation Art Design: Chongqing Kaji Culture & Art Co., Ltd.
Waterscape Construction: Sichuan Bolier Light and Shadow Water Show Technology Co., Ltd.
Sign Design Engineering: Chengdu Yuanxin Huatong Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd.
Flower Border Construction: Chengdu Huimei Flower Gardening Engineering Co., Ltd.
Clients: Wide Horizons
City: Chengdu
Country: China