A new eco-city for 250,000 people
Service Type
- Location Beitun, Xinjiang Province, China
- Client Xinjiang Province Government
- Credits Joint venture with Buro Happold
Create a new eco-city with a clear identity and sense of place, and developed in a unique pattern which cannot be repeated elsewhere
Commissioned by the governor of Xinjiang province to provide a masterplan, fully supported by detailed engineering strategies, for a new city for 250,000 people, with the aim of producing an exemplar project for sustainable development.
Our core proposition is that the proposals for Beitun should step away from the convention of developing new employment and residential accommodation and instead address holistically the needs of the community, promote healthy living, leisure, and a safe and secure environment.
Define and control the shape, mass, density and character of this new community to ensure that the failings of other ‘planned’ communities are not repeated. Constrain building heights to a maximum of 8 storeys, and make the perimeter of the Core accessible to all
Consider options which straddle the river, drawing this precious resource into the heart of the city, defining its banks and making these the setting for parks, public buildings, high-quality residential, leisure and employment facilities