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Keqiao Water City Competition, China

Keqiao Water City in Shaoxing, China design by KCAP Architects&Planners

16 Apr 2010

KCAP wins Keqiao Water City competition in Shaoxing (CN)

Design: KCAP Architects&Planners

image © Li Fang

Keqiao Water City

Rotterdam, 6 April 2010 – KCAP Architects&Planners has won the international competition to design a masterplan for Keqiao Water City in Shaoxing, China. The 45 ha site, which is currently occupied by redundant textile industry and residences, will be redeveloped for residential use with community functions and sport and commercial facilities in a landscaped setting of waterland, parks and gardens. KCAP’s masterplan design has been chosen as winner out of 3 international entries.

Keqiao is the major development area of Zhejiang province, occupying a strategic location between Shaoxing, a city of 3 million inhabitants, and Hangzhou, close to Xaoshan airport and along the highway to larger local cities and further to Shanghai. With its unique landscape of lakes, canals and rocks it forms a setting of scenic beauty. The area will become a recreational centre and will give new development impulses for the entire region.

image © Li Fang

KCAP’s masterplan introduces a landscape framework formed by different conditions found on the site such as the two lakes with their waterfronts, the canal and road system, the green spaces and the bridges. Enriched with carefully designed elements like public squares, parks, roads and paths a continuous landscape fabric is established which ties the entire development together.

Two centres and different residential quarters, offering maximum views to the lakes and landscape features, are embedded in this fabric. One of the centres is formed by the entire waterfront with public activities, hotel, commercial functions and an alternative residential program; a local centre is formed in the Western part of the site, offering residential and community uses in a more local atmosphere compared to the grandeur of the waterfront development.

image © Li Fang

The masterplan design by KCAP creates high urban quality in a completely new city district of Shaoxing. We are happy to be part of the team to contribute to the development of urban quality in this region,’ says Ruurd Gietema, urban planner and partner of KCAP. ‘KCAP is looking forward to not only elaborating the masterplan to more detail but also having the opportunity to design the first benchmark projects,’ continues Irma van Oort, architect and partner of KCAP.

KCAP will elaborate the winning masterplan scheme throughout 2010 in close cooperation with Shaoxing developer Gemdale and the local authorities. The first projects are estimated to start construction in 2011. ‘Working on this project is a great opportunity for us. It is an important stepping stone for our growing portfolio in China,’ says Markus Appenzeller, director of international projects of KCAP.

Keqiao Water City images / information received 210308

Location: Shaoxing, Hangzhou Bay, northeastern Zhejiang province,China

New Shaoxing Buildings

Buildings in Shaoxing – selection:

Shaoxing Hotel Multi-Purpose Hall, Yuecheng District
Architects: The Architectural Design and Research Institute of Zhejiang University Co., Ltd.

photo : Zhao Qiangg
Shaoxing Hotel Multi-Purpose Hall