Home

Magazine
About
Advertise
Contact Us
Support Us
Supporters

The National Creative Cluster | Beijing China | Sasaki

Associates

Since the beginning of the 21st century, Beijing has made huge strides to solidify its
position as one of the worlds great cities. It is a city that is modernizing rapidly
skyscrapers are rising out of fallow fields, a new transportation system is extending the
reach of the city, and environmental initiatives are improving air and water quality.
Fresh ideas are also emerging, while still embracing the rich traditions of the past. Near
Songzhuang, a quiet village on the outskirts of Beijing, a unique opportunity exists to
create a new urban district dedicated entirely to the cultivation of new ideas. The
National Creative Cluster (NCC) is envisioned as the countrys preeminent knowledge
hub, making the district a center for Chinas innovative home-grown talent, and a
destination for the worlds most creative thinkers. Sasakis master plan for NCC
selected in May 2012 for implementation focuses on five structuring principles that
underscore and support the overarching philosophy of the district: to bring industries
with shared values and complementary skills and technologies together to help spark
new ideas.

Acting as an incubator, the success of the district is tied to its openness, where people
can interact in both structured and spontaneous ways to exchange ideas and have
constructive dialogue. To attract a talented workforce, NCC will also provide institutes
for continuing education, museums and galleries for inspiration, entertainment venues
to encourage social interaction, and bold landscapes to help recharge the mind, body,
and spirit. The districts diversity of industry, people, and spatial relationships are
aimed to foster creativity and encourage an endless stream of new ideas.

The first principle of Sasakis master plan is to integrate the urban form with the
surrounding landscape. This is accomplished by creating a series of green wedges,
interspersed within the urban clusters and forming a series of community parks.
Second, a new transit loop creates a connection to the existing core of the Songzhaung
Artists Village. Recalling the vital connections between trade and ideas, the loop
encourages the movement of both people and ideas between the creative hubs at NCC
and Songzhuang. Third, the plan creates a series of concentrated hubs organized along
the loop, forming clusters of activity. Each hub is designed to have a unique identity,
forged by a careful mix of programmatic and landscape elements. The landscape is the
focus of the fourth principle of designing a landscape that is both beautiful and
functional. These landscapes encourage biodiversity, filter stormwater, and provide
seasonal interest and color. Finally, the fifth principle ensures that the landscape forms
a strong connection between humans and nature. Innovation and creativity at NCC is
fueled by the ability to walk on the generous trail system, grow vegetables on a rooftop
terrace, or socialize with others in neighborhood parks.

Search

WLA Magazine | Latest

Edition
Subscribe to Our
Weekly Newsletter
Name:
Email:

We respect your email privacy

JOB LISTINGS

Graduate Landscape Architect or

Landscape Architect with up to 2
years experience | Grant Associates |
Singapore

Designer | EDSA Inc. | Shanghai

China

Director and Professor, Robert Reich

School of Landscape Architecture |
Louisiana State University | Baton
Rouge, Louisiana, USA

MAGAZINE SPECIAL
EDITIONS

BOOK
REVIEWS

SUBMIT A PROJECT
SUBSCRIBE |
WEEKLY UPDATES
SUBSCRIBE | DAILY
UPDATES
SUPPORT US
PARTNERS

BECOME A
PARTNER
NEWS CATEGORIES

QQ

(122)
JiaThis

DESIGN AREAS
Architecture
Engineering
Landscape
Urban Planning
GENERAL
Art
Design
Economics
Environment
Government
Horticulture
Infrastructure
Interview
residential
Sustainable Design
Technology
Transport
GEOGRAPHIC REGION
Africa
Asia
Central America
Europe
Middle East
North America
Oceania
South America
RESOURCES
Blogs
Books
Business
Competition
Education
Employment
Event
Videos
This Week in Landscape
urban
VIDEO

The National Creative Cluster | Beijing China | Sasaki Associates

Client name | Hengtian Hi-Tech Investment and Development Co., Ltd.
Size | 357 hectares
Services | Planning and urban design, Landscape architecture, Architecture
Sasaki Team |
Principal-in-charge: Michael Grove
Lead Urban Designer / Project Manager: Martin Zogran
Participating Principals: Isabel Zempel, Dennis Pieprz
Urban Designer/Landscape Architect: Ming-Jen Hsueh
Urban Designers: Youngju Cho, Hsing-Chih Lee
Landscape Architects: Ponnapa Prakkamkul, Steve Walz
Landscape Ecologist: Anthony Fettes
Transportation Planner: Andy McClurg
Architect: Pablo Nistal
Graphic Designers: Jeff Sprague, Neda Movaghar
Sustainable features |
Habitat creation
Innovative stormwater management
Green roof
Alternative energy generation
IMAGE CREDITS | Sasaki Associates

Share
Share
Share
Share
More17
Posted By Damian Holmes on November 29, 2012 Posted in Architecture, Asia,
Environment, Government, Infrastructure, Landscape, Sustainable Design, Urban
Planning | Tags: complementary skills, constructive dialogue, creative thinkers, endless

stream, entertainment venues, environmental initiatives, exchange ideas, extending the

reach, fallow fields, first principle, knowledge hub, mind body and spirit, quiet village,
rich traditions, sasaki, social interaction, spatial relationships, talented workforce, urban
clusters, urban district
1 Comment

Comments for this thread are now closed.

0 Comments

World Landscape Architect

Share Favorite

Sort by Best

Be the first to comment.

Subscribe

Login

Add Disqus to your site

Privacy

Celebrating 5 years of World Landscape Architecture

Detroit Riverfront Design Competition | UPDATE

Translator

SUBMIT PROJECT
SUBSCRIBE TO WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE DAILY UPDATES

FACEBOOK LINKEDIN TWITTER

PINTEREST
ADVERTISE
LEGAL

WLA Magazine | Latest Edition

All Rights Reserved - Copyright 2007-2012 World Landscape Architecture landscape architecture webzine