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| Atkins designs the “natural living room” of Mianyang in China  British engineering and design group Atkins has completed the landscape design for the waterfront in Mianyang, Sichuan Province in China, creating leisure space for the public and interlinking various commercial and residential developments. Located at the northwestern end of the Sichuan Basin, on the upper to middle reaches of the Fu River, Mianyang is the "gateway" for visitors coming from Chengdu, the capital city of the Sichuan province.Since Mianyang became the second largest city in Sichuan province, it has sought to extend the frontage of the city beyond its core to the shores of the surrounding three rivers. The riverfront site covers a total area of 21km2, a quarter of which is water body. Clive Horsman, director for landscape at Atkins in Asia Pacific, said: "Our design concept is derived from the iconic mountain range and the strands composing ridges and valleys in Sichuan. The 'strands' found in nature match the topography of the site and the meeting room concept perfectly. Forests and wetlands, weaving as in the patterns of fingers and strands, link the natural landscape and man-made development coherently. The site is not an isolated extension of a city but a living organism capable adapting to the environment." Atkins' scope of works contains landscape planning and design, riverfront embankment design and promenade design. Based on the overall city planning strategy and the understanding of its geography, Atkins fostered and developed the living room concept which interconnects the project site and the adjacent areas seamlessly. The design establishes a meaningful linkage system among various challenged land parcels. The pedestrian footbridge creates an effortless passage for visitors from man-made structures to the riverfront. Another highlight is the spatial design strategy which provides an elegant solution to utilise the sharp elevation difference of approximately six metres between the land and the embankment by integrating parking facilities, retail shops and food and beverage facilities. write your comments about the article :: © 2013 Construction News :: home page |