Long-lasting landscape is the best description for our expectation of the future growth of this project. Long-lasting means it can continue to grow over time, and continue to grow new forms as the overall environment changes in terms of humanity, locality, ecology, and space. We hope this form of landscape will let the society re-understand and think about the essence of design and life.
Global Future Design Awards 2023: Entries Open!
Silver 🏆 Winner
Global Future Design Awards 2022
Ningbo Coastal OCT Fenghua Sunshine Bay
Public Landscape Architecture (Built)
Firm
Tus-Design Group Co., Ltd.
Architect/Designer
Chen Ruizhu
Design Team
Design Director: Chen Ruizhu, Yu Zaizai Design team: Yu Ji, Shen Yun, Wang Tengfei, Jin Chaojie, Jiang Xueyan, Sun Cen, Zhang Zhijian, Chen Zhenjiang, Zhao Haiping
Location
Fenghua District, Ningbo City
Country
China
Photographer/Copyright
©Lu Bing
“To govern by doing nothing that goes against nature, in fact, to rule by courtesy.” How to use the most lightweight design to maintain the original ecology and uniqueness of the site? How to integrate the site into the mountains and seas, showing and experiencing the nature rather than letting the nature adapt to human? These are the problems we want to solve in our design process.
01 Meet the mountains and seas | Vacation in Nature
The most beautiful part of the world is nature. The original ecological mountain and sea resources are lightly designed with least human intervention to enlarge the casualness and freedom of a relaxing vacation in nature. This is our view of lifestyle.
The project is located in the Fenghua, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. It belongs to the southeastern part of Ningbo City, between the Chuanshan Peninsula and the Xiangshan Peninsula. It faces the Pacific Ocean to the east, Hangzhou Bay to the north, and Sanmen Bay to the south. On the east side are the Zhoushan Islands, which are connected to the open sea through the Qinglongmen, Shuangyumen and Niubishan waterways. It is a long and narrow semi-enclosed bay that extends inland from the northeast to the southwest, which is also an ideal deep-water port.
From wasteland to humane mountains and seas
Our design scope is sited on the east side of the Yangguang Bay Demonstration Zone. We saw the rolling mountains, the land overgrown with grass, the abandoned purple stone dam, and the beautiful and magnificent mountains in the Hai Nei Bay when we visited the site for the first time… Gradually we started to outline what the future looks like.
On the basis of continuing the original landscape style of the demonstration area, respecting the original appearance of the site, our focus is the simple design language, centering on the theme of natural vacation, emphasizing the beach implantation, dam reconstruction, wetland organizing, mountain restoration and highlight creation , The design is intended to let the rare mountain and sea resources become the main character of the site, and create a unique experience and memory with mountain and sea landscape features.
Using natural brushstrokes to talk to the environment, it will bring a journey back to freedom and love in life from the ecological mountain and sea landscape, where local wild animals and plants inhabit, as this bay is nurturing the life. The visitors can get their mind out of the complicated world, and listen to their inner voice here.
02 Live by the bay, go wild with the wind
Walking out of the sample house by the sea, the sea breeze will blow on the face with the sunlight, and the pure mountain and sea landscape makes people feel peaceful and cheerful. The designer turned this place into a destination where every traveler can enjoy simplicity and peace of mind. The café nearby, the open viewing platform, the randomly interspersed ornamental grass and the blue of the distant mountains create a space atmosphere that allows people to think nothing.
It is pure and quiet into the bay area. Looking around, the natural revetment made of local purple stones tells the memory of the site. The leisure wooden seats embedded in the gentle slope, and the thatched pavilion having the same color as the yellow sand, are integrated with the environment with materials and tones full of wild beauty.
One can return to the original luxury nature to enjoy life and have more connections with local humanities as mountains and seas become the background. If focusing on the grand aspect, there are the endless green mountains and blue seas, where one can ride and stroll with the wind to seek truth in the wild. Looking at the subtleties, one can find the rough and simple materials and textures blooming flowers with time.
Due to the establishment of the outer dike, the purple stone flood control dam in the inner bay has long lost its former glory and mission. We lowered the dike by 1 meter and embedded the blooming sedum plants so that the great achievements of this flood control embankment can still be retained in our memories, becoming a beautiful scenery along the bay.
Strolling on the soft beach, embracing the sunlight on the exquisite runway, and the natural and smooth curved park trails bring all kinds of leisure activities that are not limited by time. We envision that some social parent-child activities can be carried out on the left lawn in the future, such as light luxury camping, nature education, small concerts… Facing the picture scroll of mountains and seas, one can extend the imagination infinitely.
Combined with the original site conditions, we used a large amount of local purple stones to awaken the unique localization of the site, and at the same time continue to extend the wooden platform at the waterfront to the sea level, expecting to enhance the greatest experience of the mountains and seas. The design of the pontoon wharf and the end view platform expands the possibilities of various water sports, integrates the power of the sea, and connects the mood through the environment to convey the inclusiveness of relaxing and healing life here.
In order to open the sight of the artificial beach along the coastal line, we sorted out the original wetland resources and let them retreat to a distance, so that the egrets can get a more comfortable habitat. The best arrangement is to see each other without being disturbed.
03 Playing in the valley, chasing the source
One goes for a tour through the romantic green hills and enter the valley, where a whole vertical gable forms a space inward. The design draws inspiration from the ancient Greek drinking canal, and introduces the mountain waterfall into the center of the site in a solemn and elegant manner, creating a public exploration space that returns to human nature. Combined with a large area of washed granolithic stone, the curved water flow is created under the waterfall and above the shoal, so that life can return to its original point and start again.
Landscape is not only a display, but more importantly, it stimulates human interaction and experience, and returns to our real yearning in mind through the creation of back-to-virtual scenes, getting rid of the shackles of life, and letting the spirit continue to flourish.
The water canal in the style of the ancient Roman is connected to the mountains on one side, and connected with the beach and ocean through the dry stream along the elevation of the site. As the river tides ebb and flow, it protects this secret place continuously. Recycling water resources is also a part of the long-lasting view that we want to achieve and communicate.
In fact, before choosing this design direction, we originally had another concept with the direction of lighter-weight temperament, using the best viewing interface of the mountain 22 meters high to cantilever an arc-shaped viewing platform + water curtain, overlooking the landscape of mountain and sea resources. After several rounds of mountain geotechnical surveys, structural calculations and reviews from experts, it is indeed a bit regretful that we did not choose this concept due to various reasons, but we still have a wonderful experience, and we want to share this great process.
People indulge themselves being close to nature with fun. The blue sea and sky, white sand and rocky shores form an integrated sensory experience. With the rocks scattered in the cove, people can walk towards the foot of the mountain and into the bay to welcome their true self, enjoying the moment and letting go the pressures, which are the best space condition we expect!
04 Through the mountains and forests, surrounded by tranquility
The beauty of mountain and ocean is not enough to be obtained on one side. The winding plank trail surrounding the mountain provides a place for spirit healing, leisure and fitness in the forest. It helps to shape the real experience of being between the mountains and the sea by switching the perspective of spatial relations.
The mountains and the sea are the starting point and the background of life here. One can go to the highest viewing platform and enjoy the amazing view of mountain and sea exclusively. The stream travels freely among the original mountain vegetation like a child running. Although the mountain-view waterfall is artificially created, it seems to have been flowing here for a long time. With natural harmony and tolerance, we maintain and link emotional relationships, and feel the strong human warmth in simple interactions.
There are two old bayberry trees stretching steadily, continuing to engrave the stories of the mountains and seas in the annual rings, just like the guardians of the mountains and forests. It condenses people’s stories in the journey, and we are very grateful to retain them on site.
05 Going far, a free soul never grows old
Mountains and seas attract people, and the design restores the original charm of nature in a peaceful language, telling the beauty of a wild luxury vacation. The man-made beach simulates the texture of a natural beach, allowing the open inner bay to collect delightful clouds from the sky. The visitors can see the changes in the day, and build their energy field of life with plenty of time and spirit.
During the dependence on mountains and seas with fascination, the design constructs an emotional level of belonging and yearning, making life more authentic, natural and relaxing, and allowing the body and mind to be stable and free with the environment.
The rolling green hills echo the distant mountains, while the romantic reed grass softens the boundary of the road, exuding the beauty of seasonal changes, allowing people to get close to nature and return to life to the greatest extent.
The design respects the beauty of the original ecology of the mountains and seas, and preserve the plants and stones that have the memory of the land, so that people are willing to participate in the local humanities and nature, and create more memories at the same time. Looking at the distant mountains, feeling the sea breeze, one can feel the return to the authentic vacation experience in a pure and quiet atmosphere.
The design pays tribute to the distant mountains, the vast sea, and the purest land!
We hope people will encounter a wonderful and natural journey to regain the inner peace in the mountains and seas!
The presented environment has fulfilled our expectations for a long-lasting type of landscape, and it has become a space where citizens are eager to yearn for.