Three architecture and landscape studios from different parts of the world came together in a team by LOLA Landscape Architects, (Rotterdam), Taller architects (Bogotá / Rotterdam) and Land and Civilization Compositions (Hong Kong) to design a park located in Guang Ming, in the burgeoning megalopolis of Shenzhen, China. A city that was only half a century ago was a small fishing town.

Shenzhen has had to develop a rigorous environmental policy to protect the threatened natural spaces, with impressive biodiversity, that surround this city in the Pearl River delta. The green network is an example of this and the new park one more link in this ambitious natural protection that also includes a program that allows its citizens to play, sports and relax.
The new Forest Sports Park (forest and sports park) designed by LOLA landscape architects, TALLER architects, Land and Civilization Compositions
 is an ambitious park of six hundred hectares, in the district of Guangming will be linked with its nearby forest.

The proposal is articulated through an elevated walkway, characterized by a striking red color, which is born in the most urbanized area, unfolding smoothly through the territory linking its trajectory with different trails and forest tracks so that access to them does not imply an anarchic access to the forest. Planned in different phases (the first phase has just finished and the second is expected to begin shortly) the route is marked out with viewpoints, and pavilions with cafeterias or prefabricated toilets to minimize the impact on its installation.
 

Project description by LOLA Landscape Architects, Taller architects and Land and Civilization Compositions

The Shenzhen area is all about innovation, therefore the ambition was to make a park that is as innovative as the city itself. A park that can adapt to the constant evolution of sports and where we can constantly contribute to a more resilient nature. An elevated red path gives universal access to the forest. With a steady soft slope, connecting ramps and elevators it provides users from all age groups a safe and easy way to visit the mountain. To enjoy the views of the surrounding city and the ability to immerse yourself in the thick forest. The Forest and Sports Park forms a slow transition space between the city of Guangming and the forest reserve.

With the first phase of the 600 ha. park almost completed, the park is to become a unique destination for the Guangming Big Bay area. As this metropolitan region finds its success in innovative industries, the park focuses on innovation in sports and ecology. Two R&D centres, one for sports, one for botany are centrally located in the park. From here, constant evolution and diversification of the park will take place. On the central park loop, a linear plant and tree nursery is integrated.

In a natural forest setting, visitors are able to get to know new and forgotten sports, as well as the latest techniques used in sports. A range from open valleys to lower hills and mountain forest offers the natural background for these sports and active leisure. The Red Path forms a landmark that connects the park to the city and the forest; a scenic route that passes by all different types of forest. In the park a series of pavilions hosts functions like a restaurant, restroom, viewing platform and forest cabin. In order to minimize the environmental impact, the pavilions are modular and prefabricated. By placing them on stilts they avoid direct contact with the ground and at the same time provide shadow so that visitors can escape the summer heat. The construction of the second phase of the Forest Sports Park is expected to start in 2021.

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Project team
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Peter Veenstra, Leire Calvillo Mendoza, Jie Wang, Artur Borejszo, Giulia Repici, Michael Schoner, Florencia Lima, Mikel Orbegozo, Fanny Genti, Ramón Cuesta, Jingting, Martina, Qingru, Leela Leelathipkul, Yishan Du, Roberto Coccia, Victor Zheng, Cristina Genovese, Marko Villa
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Organaizers
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Organizer.- Guangming New District Management committee.
Co-organizer.- Shenzhen Guang Ming center for urban Development.
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Area
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600 Ha.
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Dates
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Design year.- 2018.
First phase of construction.- 2019-2020 .
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Location
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Guang Ming, Shenzhen, China.
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Awards
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WAFChina 2020 for Best Landscape, WAFChina 2020 for Excellent .
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Photography
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Duo Duo.
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LOLA is a design office for progressive landscape research and landscape architecture. The office is based in Rotterdam, founded in 2006 by Peter Veenstra and currently consists of a team of 36 employees. LOLA has got several national and international projects, publications and awards to its name.

They are a team of passionate landscape architects who always want to deliver outstanding interactive processes, the best designs, and the most beautiful realized projects. In their scope of work they work on landscape researches, spatial scenarios, integrated masterplans, schematic designs, definitive landscape designs, technical designs including details, construction and planting. Amongst others, because they do a lot more.
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TALLER Architects is based in Bogotá and Amsterdam operating in the fields of research, architecture, and territory (urban and landscape design). The company was established in 2009 in Bogotá, Colombia and currently employs 21 full time staff under the creative direction of founders Julian Restrepo and Pablo Forero.

From Taller 301 to TALLER Architects.  In 2018 the firm expanded its international presence with a satellite office in The Netherlands which led to a variation in the company name. The Dutch branch is led by architect Sven Hoogerheide and continues the multidisciplinary design approach set out by the Colombian headquarters.
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Land+Civilization Compositions (L+CC) is a Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Rotterdam based office that works and collaborates on issues related to built form, with a portfolio scope from research to design.

LCC has won best built landscape in Asia 2020, been a finalist for Best Young World Designer 2018, and they have built works on 6 continents in the last decade. Recently their work has been exhibited in - New York, Sao Paolo, Rotterdam, Madrid, Venice, Istanbul, Cape Town, Seoul, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Melbourne. Their writings have been published in many magazines. And they have given key note lectures ranging from Harvard GSD, TU Delft, Asia Business Council, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Swiss Architecture Museum, Global Maker Sustainable Innovation and Development Forum, Future Cities+ Future Technologies Conference, and many more.

Jason Hilgefort is an urbanist | architect who studied at the University of British Columbia, University of Cincinnati, and is currently a PHD candidate at RMIT. His work experience ranges from New York, Rotterdam, to Mumbai and includes working with Peter Calthorpe, Rahul Mehrotra, Maxwan A+U, and ZUS. He has led Maxwan’s numerous competition victories in Helsinki, Basel, Kiev, Brussels, Ostrava, Hannover, and Lithuania before winning Europan 11 in Vienna.

He subsequently founded Land+Civilization Compositions, a Rotterdam | Hong Kong based studio exploring issues at the ever expanding edge of urbanism that views city creation as an art forum. Jason's teaching experience includes Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Finland, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. He was a subcurator in the Shenzhen/Hong Kong Urbanism/Architecture Biennale and a co-director of its educational platform. Currently he is an Adjunct Professor at Hong Kong University Faculty of Architecture and the Academic Director of Aformal Academy for urbanism | landscape | public art in Shenzhen.

He is also a regular writer, contributing to assorted publications over the years including Volume, uncube, SITE and more. He recently co-founded the Institute for Autonomous Urbanism which is focused on how the disruptive developments of dispersed infrastructure frame a moment in time where we can fundamentally reconceive of how we make, fund, and even conceptualize the world that surrounds us.
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