K3 - Kunshan studio

location: Kunshan, China

a masterplan for the polder city.

X James Mok and Sam Lingard

The Southern Watergate envisions the re invigoration of an industrial site located south of the Loujiang River, East of the Kunshan regional railway station (Train Station Name). This is achieved by a green thoroughfare, residential buildings, sustainable wastewater treatment strategy and an advance/ innovative research centre. Through these interventions, the projects draw the public from the train station, house displaced residents, clean and recycle wastewater and educate visitors about sustainable water use respectively.

The railway station acts as a significant start-end point for the southern Kunshan residents and visitors, allowing the park to take advantage of this to draw the public through the industrial urban park. The urban park is plotted with shipping containers, highlighting the industrial significance of the site and green islands, providing large and small spaces for the public to occupy.

The K3 projects occurs in phases, this will in turn displace many residents due to the new developments. The residential buildings acts as a temporary housing solution for the displaced residents and a new public circulation area through garden squares on the ground floor and vertically through the rooftop gardens. Creating spaces that promote community activities and narratives.

Opening the lost waterway in the canal has not only prevented stagnant water and rubbish build up. But has allowed for the implementation of wetlands and a sustainable wastewater recycling plant that serves as a recreational and functional realm. The wastewater recycling plant also allow for public interaction with the cleaning process, adding to the educational element of the project.

Adjacent to the wastewater park is an advance/ innovative research centre that overlooks the masterplan, functioning as the monitoring centre for the recycled water and dredged soil coming through the Southern Kunshan area. The dredged soil cleaned from the treatment plant aids with the construction of Kunshanshui’s green terraces, providing fertile soil for agriculture to thrive.

The combination of water sensitive urban strategies and infrastructure have led to the design of the hybrid industrial urban park generates education, community centred activities and a social interaction which will grow in adjacency to the thriving ecological advancements within our industrial public domain.

http://www.kunshanstudio.com.au/