Atkins’ ‘Central
Park’ secures design win in northern China
Taiyuan building PR from Atkins Mar 07:
Atkins’ architects in Shanghai have won a design competition for
a major city extension in the north-western city of Taiyuan, 300-miles
south of Beijing.
The project is for a 39-hectare residential and commercial district which,
when complete, will house over 5,000 families. The defining feature of
Atkins’ design is a large central park, which forms the core of the
new district.
Project architect and designer Jiang Lihang, based in Atkins’ Shanghai
office, said: "We took the garden as the organising feature of the
design arranging the residential blocks around it to give the development
a real heart. A landscape bridge will cover a major traffic route that
runs across the southern half of the site. This unifies the two parts
of the district and makes the green space as large as possible. This landscape
bridge also forms a gateway to the neighbourhood along this major road."
The design includes a variety of high and low-rise apartments with slender
tower blocks marking the edge of the central park. It also provides a
local shopping centre and community facilities.
Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi Province, is home to 2.9 million people. The
city, which dates back 2,500 years, is experiencing strong growth as part
of China’s rapid urbanisation.
The competition win is Atkins’ second in the city after the new airport
terminal building which is currently under construction. It reinforces
Atkins’ success in China, particularly in designing large urban developments.
Over the last twelve months, these include Lijiang, Suzhou and Shenyang.
Taiyuan buildings, China: PR from Atkins 130307
China Architecture
Atkins Chinese
building : Songjiang hotel, Shanghai
Atkins (www.atkinsglobal.com) plans, designs and enables the delivery
of complex capital programmes for clients in the public and private sectors
across the globe. Atkins is the largest multidisciplinary consultancy
in Europe; the largest engineering consultancy in the UK; and the world’s
third largest design firm. Atkins’ current projects include:
In the defence sector, the MoD’s Future Rapid Effects System (FRES)
programme – overseeing the development of the next generation of
medium weight armoured vehicles for the military;
Significant road and rail contracts, including a £65 million, three-year
resignalling contract in Basingstoke;
High profile designs, such as Durrat Al Bahrain, a spectacular 20 sq km
resort for 45,000 people on the south coast of Bahrain, comprising 13
man-made islands.
Atkins was named among the ‘20 Best Big Companies to Work For 2006’
by The Sunday Times; ‘Construction Consultant of the Year 2005’
by Building; and ‘Consultant of the Year Major Firm 2005’ by
New Civil Engineer.
Taiyuan buildings,
China : Atkins
Beijing Buildings
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: adrian welch / isabelle lomholt