International Consultation on Urban Design of Key Urban Renewal Unit of Shajing Avenue Area
1.Project Overview
1.1 History Background
Shajing Ancient Village in Shajing Avenue area has historical and cultural heritage of “development through ocean, salt, oyster and trade”. The settlement history of Shajing originated from the Northern Song Dynasty, and it set up the Guide Salt Field and Salt Department in the Northern Song Dynasty. At the beginning of Qing Dynasty, the salt field declined and was changed into oyster field, forming the prosperous trading market and then gradually developing the shipping economy of Maozhou River and surrounding river channels. Shajing Ancient Village is not only the key geographical symbol of Shenzhen in the ancient Xin’an County and civilization anchor point of Maozhou River watershed, but also the epitome of the cultural spirit of Shenzhen to take the lead.
The historic scenic area of Shajing Ancient Village takes Longjin Stone Pagoda and Salt Department as the historical cornerstone of village establishment. Longjin River was taken as the axis in early days, forming clan village on both east and west sides; Later, after Shajing Village and Xin Village were set up, it gradually extended to form Shajing Avenue, constituting the historic spatial layout of “village connection through river and street, combination of village and market, seven lanes in parallel, and comb-style layout”.
1.2 Development Background and Objective
The design scope of Shajing Avenue area is about 3 square kilometers. The project covers 23ha historic scenic area of Shajing Ancient Village, which is in the first group of historic scenic area of Shenzhen City. To consider both reconstruction and conservation & activation of the historic scenery, the innovative pathway of “key urban renewal unit + historic scenic area activation” is adopted for this project, exploring the sustainable development path of historic scenic area under the context of urban renewal.
The objective of this project is to construct the regional public activity center in the western center of Shenzhen, build the cultural tourism and creativity demonstration zone with most local humanistic quality and international experimental creative culture of Shenzhen, and create a friendly and livable urban area with resilient ecology and slow traffic. It aims at shaping the Shajing brand representing humanism of Shenzhen, making overall plan with forward-looking and international vision, and carrying over the future urban spiritual civilization.
The project takes the opportunity of activation and utilization of the historic scenic area of Shajing Ancient Village, making overall planning and construction of the modern livable urban area of Shajing Avenue area. The design focus of this project is history conservation and activation, organic integration of new and old urban area, and effective traffic solutions.
2. Project Location
As one of the core areas in the western center of Shenzhen, Shajing Avenue area is situated at the east bank of Pearl River estuary, Shajing Sub-district of Bao’an District, Shenzhen City, and circular-bay front line area of Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Greater Bay Area. It has 15min drive from Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center, Maritime New City and Waterlands City on the west, and no more than 20km (40min drive) from Shenzhen Bao’an Airport, being the main radiation area and service area of Airport New City. The area is closely next to Shajing Xinqiao Center on the east.
With convenient access to the circular expressway network of Pearl River Delta leading to Guangzhou and Hong Kong, Shajing Avenue area is adjacent to Outer Ring Expressway on the north (The Outer Ring Expressway starts from Guangzhou – Shenzhen Yanjiang Expressway and stops at Yanba Expressway); links with Guangzhou – Shenzhen Yanjiang Expressway (which starts at Huangpu Toll Station of Huangpu District, Guangzhou City and stops at Yueliangwan Overpass of Nanshan District, Shenzhen City) via Outer Ring Expressway on the west; connects with No. 107 State Highway (which starts at Xicheng District of Beijing City and stops at North Area of Hong Kong SAR) via Outer Ring Expressway on the east, and is no more than 8km (20min drive) from the entrance/exit of the surrounding expressways.
Relying on the planned Haoxiang Road and Xinsha Road, form the central artery of northern Bao’an from east to west: ecological hinterland – advanced manufacturing area – urban central area – external convention and exhibition exchange area.
3.Work Content of This Competition
3.1 Design Scope: 3km2
The scope of urban design of Shajing Avenue area (hereinafter called “Shajing Avenue area”) has an area of about 3 square kilometers, reaching Beihuan Road on the north, Xihuan Road on the west, Huanzhen Road and Shiyan Canal on the east, and Chuangxin Road (planned Liaofeng Road) on the south. In this area, historic scenic area of Shajing Ancient Village is about 23ha, and the rest is approved and planned projects under construction and retention area of the current situation.
3.2 Extent of work: Detailed Urban Design Scheme
With core objective of forming the internal and external organic integration of the area, complementing the internal and external function of the ancient village, and integrated space with coordinated spatial scenery, establish the overall space system of the area, such as planning structure, functional arrangement, traffic organization, open space, underground space, building height control, etc. Carry out fine design of building form and landscape for the important open space and public node in the reconstruction area and historic scenic area, propose the overall conservation and activation utilization strategy and space renovation schematics within the scope of historic scenic area, and arrange the reconstruction area plot division, development control indicators of each plot and building layout as per development scale requirement.
4. Planning Focus
4.1 History Conservation and Activation
Shajing Avenue area carries over the mission of building a living dictionary of Shenzhen’s local culture, a chronicle of maritime trade, and branding of cultural tourism. Based on the existing historical research results, the urban design will take the coexistence of cultural heritage survival and modern program development of the historic scenic area as its core objective, extend the historical pattern of the historic scenic area of Shajing Ancient Village, and inherit and reinforce the historical cultural value and characteristics to incorporate into the modern urban development, with focus on the following contents:
♦ Based on the unified market operation mode, encourage to embed such programs as cultural leisure tourism, cultural entrepreneurship, and supporting public facilities, and explore the new mode and new approach for activation of historic scenic area.
♦ Pay attention to the humanistic value of historical public space and traditional production & living space. Put emphasis on forming the important public vitality space around the cultural relics, historic buildings and historic environment elements within the conservation area.
♦ Pay attention to the disaster prevention resilience and landscape leisure value of the watery lanes & streets and historic field ponds. Follow the layout of historical natural elements, highlight the water environment and historic value of Longjin River and Yabian River, and optimize the water form and surrounding green land form.
4.2 Organic Integration of New and Old Urban Area
Pay attention to the harmony between the new building style and traditional building style in the historic scenic area, focus on the interaction and extension of programs inside and outside the ancient village, and ensure the continuity and integrity of the spatial systems inside and outside the ancient village, such as public space, green landscape, slow traffic, etc.
♦ Focus on studying the control requirement for new buildings in the construction control area. The new buildings adjacent to the historic scenic area of Shajing Ancient Village shall coordinate and echo with the functional and spatial form of the historic scenic area.
♦ Under the high-intensity development, study on how to form the organic integration of new and old urban style through the spatial arrangement and design of building layout, building height and building form.
4.3 Effective Traffic Solutions
Fully understand the dual pressure of historic scenic area: cultural tourism traffic distribution and traffic demand in high-intensity new urban area, and provide effective traffic solutions.
♦ Advocate priority on public transport and slow traffic.
♦ Fully respect the street layout of the historic scenic area. On the basis of meeting the safety and emergency demand, allow to broaden the road inside the scenic area with caution.
♦ Emphasize the respect and appropriate concession of road planning towards history conservation. Based on the requirement of setting up two-way six-lane road with some area road boundary width of 29-32.5m for Shajing Avenue, try to minimize the impact of new urban trunk road on the historic scenic area and form the road space with appropriate scale. Mainly optimize the line position of Shajing Avenue, and carry out design on road section, building setback, street scale, street landscape, etc.
5.Bird’s Eye View of Shajing Avenue Area
6. Registration Requirements
（1）The applicant must be an independent legal entity or institution registered at home and abroad. For overseas agency, it must make joint application together with independent legal entity registered in China.
（2）No qualification requirement.
（3）The design team shall consist of professionals in urban plan and design, historical conservation, traffic consultation, architectural and landscape design, operation planning, etc.
（4）Consortium is encouraged, with no limit on number of the consortium members. The consortium member cannot make application separately either by itself or by forming other consortium with other design agencies in another name. The consortium members need to sign the Consortium Agreement with legal effect, specifying the leading member, work division of each member, etc.
（5）The application by individual or group of individuals is not accepted.
7. WORK RULES
“Open tender” is adopted for this international consultation:
First stage – Prequalification: With overall consideration on the company reputation, team strength and draft concept, the Host will set up the prequalification review committee according to the law and select 6 shortlisted agencies (without ranking) and 2 alternative agencies (with ranking) at the prequalification stage to enter the stage of the urban design scheme.
Second stage – Urban design scheme: 6 shortlisted agencies will submit an urban design scheme. The Host will set up a jury panel according to the rules and regulations to select non-ranking top three winners. After discussion by the Host, it will determine the first-place design agency.
8. Prizes
The total bonus of this international competition is about RMB10 million, with detailed arrangements subject to the official announcement.
The scheme review will select top three winners, which will get the corresponding bonus. The first-place winner will work with the technical service provider for the development and integration of the urban design achievements. Those shortlisted agencies failing to enter the top three will get the design compensation fee.
The official announcement of this international competition will be released soon. For more follow-up information, please feel free to contact AIMIR or visit our website. If you’re interested in architectural visualization for this competition or marketing, you’re more than welcome to touch base with us anytime.
