Hubei Urban Masterplan
Central China
Known as the “City of Rivers”, Hubei Urban Masterplan is situated at the meeting point of the Yangtze and Hanjiang Rivers in Central China. The site is one of the key remaining waterfront sites in Hubei and sits at the foot of the culturally important hill range. The brief was to provide an integrated sustainable masterplan for a new mixed use and residential district with two million sqm of accommodation.
While the site benefits from a waterfront location, this is a challenge considering the 9m high rise in water level from the Yangtze River during flood season. To combat the risk of flooding, the city created a permanent 4m high flood wall along the coastline. While this structure protects the infrastructure of the city, it created a physical barrier to the waterfront. To counteract this, 10’s design proposes an elevated central pedestrianised plaza which cuts through the masterplan between the urban commercial blocks running along the waterfront.
While the site benefits from a waterfront location, this is a challenge considering the 9m high rise in water level from the Yangtze River during flood season. To combat the risk of flooding, the city created a permanent 4m high flood wall along the coastline. While this structure protects the infrastructure of the city, it created a physical barrier to the waterfront. To counteract this, 10’s design proposes an elevated central pedestrianised plaza which cuts through the masterplan between the urban commercial blocks running along the waterfront.
This elevated plaza allows pedestrians both views and physical access over the flood wall, thus increasing connection to the riverside. This level separation creates an unrestricted connection along the total length of the development.
A second valley consisting of purely green landscape amenity runs along the base of the hill range, which is occupied by residential buildings. In fact, while the waterfront views are a premium in most cities, the views towards the locally respected hill range from the opposing banks are of most significant cultural and commercial value.
A second valley consisting of purely green landscape amenity runs along the base of the hill range, which is occupied by residential buildings. In fact, while the waterfront views are a premium in most cities, the views towards the locally respected hill range from the opposing banks are of most significant cultural and commercial value.
To maintain these views, a waterfront park is located at the tip of the peninsula. As a buffer and link between the existing dense urban grid and the park, a cluster of low level headquarter buildings set in low density parkland seeks to preserve the view to the hillside while maximising the green of the parkland.
Higher density commercial blocks are centred within the heart of the scheme and are aligned with a key pedestrian bridge. The commercial blocks act as an end point for the vista extending from the urban grid on the opposite bank of the Yangtze River.
Higher density commercial blocks are centred within the heart of the scheme and are aligned with a key pedestrian bridge. The commercial blocks act as an end point for the vista extending from the urban grid on the opposite bank of the Yangtze River.
