Founded in 2010 by Danish architect Jens Holm, the New York-based HAO design firm has developed a comprehensive, eco-conscious city planning scheme that would transform the Chinese coastal town of Binhai, Tianjin into one of the world’s most sustainable cities.
The 49.2 acre project was designed as part of features a museum campus, an exhibition center and fairgrounds, a sports center/arena, hotels, libraries, and a state-of-the-art financial district that blends perfectly with the area’s natural shore line park. As you can see in HAO’s plan …
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… the park serves to establish the views, define the different districts, and which- as you can see, above- serves to “anchor” a sort of spinal column of sidewalks and public transit routes. All of which serves to create a bike-friendly, walkable city that would offer its residents an entirely different lifestyle experience than, say, the pollution-soaked capital of Beijing.
The 49.2 acre project was designed as part of features a museum campus, an exhibition center and fairgrounds, a sports center/arena, hotels, libraries, and a state-of-the-art financial district that blends perfectly with the area’s natural shore line park, which serves to establish the views, define the different districts, and which- as you can see, above- serves to “anchor” a sort of spinal column of sidewalks and public transit routes. All of which serves to create a bike-friendly, walkable city that would offer its residents an entirely different lifestyle experience than, say, the incredibly pollution-choked capital of Beijing.
For its efforts, HAO was chosen as a finalist at the globally 2014 World Architecture Festival held in Singapore earlier this year. In addition, Holms’ work on the Binhai Eco City Plan was nominated for Harvard University’s prestigious Wheelwright Prize, as well as for the Urban Fellowship at Design Trust for Public Space in New York City.
While that’s all well and good for HAO, I know you’re eager to see more of the firm’s Binhai Eco City Plan. So, enjoy the slideshows, below- remember to click to enlarge the images- then let us know what you think of the Eco City’s chances of actually getting built in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!
Binhai Eco City Plan | Schematics
Binhai Eco City Plan | Concept Art
Source | Photos: HAO, via Urukai.
