Magic Mountains

Christian added this project

This was a visionary study by Danish COBE Architects and Chongqing University in 2005/2006 for the new Jiangbei Central Business District in Chongqing. You can ready a proper description published by COBE and Chongqing University below.

MAGIC MOUNTAINS - PLAN
The urban concept for the GCBD reinstates the mountainous feeling deep into the very dense and urbanized areas of Chongqing. The new skyline consists of a composition of inhabited mountains. The mountain peaks match the high-density centers; the lower reaches of the mountains resemble areas built with low density, whereas the valleys are green open spaces. The mountains are a response to what Chongqing today is all about: The contemporary high-rise city is eating up the cultural and architectural heritage of Chongqing, open green spaces and traditional neighbourhoods.

The mountain skyline will become the symbol of Chongqing’s new identity as China’s green metropolis. It functions as a pioneer of the dawning change from explosive highspeedurbanism to a soft green urban revolution.

According to Chongqing’s regulation plan, the 2.2 km2 site for Chongqing’s new green CBD has a capacity of 15.4 million sqm floor space – that equals a floor area ratio of 7 (FAR = 7). We think of this high urban density as a tool for accommodating the immense demand for housing and offices under severe space constraints and market pressure. However, the density in itself does not provide a sufficient sustainable answer to the highspeed challenges!

We therefore suggest the reservation of 1/3 of the area for the integration of an ecological chain in which production, consumption, waste, and circulation are linked with the aim of less pollution, high energy efficiency and low energy input – the living machine.

To realize the site’s building potential of 15.4 million square meters and to balance the loss of valuable square meters, the density in the remaining 2/3 of the area has to be increased to FAR = 10. On an urban scale the living machine complements the demands for high density with low density qualities of traditional Chinese neighbourhoods – open green spaces, fresh air, lively street atmosphere. On an architectural scale, the living machine integrates low-tech solutions for the hightech demands of the highspeedurbanism.

The regulation plan for the CBD suggests 60% office space, 25% housing and 15% for commercial, social and leisure facilities. We suggest a dedication of 5% of the program to sustainable facilities, such as wind turbines or wastewater treatment facilities. All of these will be integrated into the living machine.

FIVE MINUTE CITY - INFRASTRUCTURE
In this GCBD everything is reachable within a five walking distance: the next public transport stop, cultural/commercial/social institutions and a park or green space. The urban layout radically promotes walking, cycling and the use of public transport – it deliberately excludes cars. A state of the art monorail spine links the site on a regional level to the “old” and the other planned CBD across the rivers, as well as to the airport and the new central station. A 5.5 km long loop ensures fast and easy transit within the minicity. Monorail stops are located in the densest centers of the nine neighbourhoods. Every point within the site is within five minutes walking distance of the monorail stops. An additional monorail line connects stops in the living machine with the stations in the urban centers. This line brings people to the social and cultural amenities or the riverbanks in a fast and efficient way.

1. GREEN MOUNTAINS
Because the site is not sealed for motorized traffic, up to 95% of the entire surface can be used to “bring back the trees”. Even on the terraced roof spaces of each building huge areas of greenery can be planted. This strategy not only creates high quality outdoor spaces – it also helps in considerably reducing the carbon footprint of the area.

2. UNDERGROUND ROOT ZONE
An underground root zone system is constructed underneath the entire living machine. Every day this 0.75 km2 ecological system can clean almost all of the wastewater. This will allow us to reintroduce clean water to the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers and hence contribute to their ecological restoration.

3. BREEZE VALLEYS
The urban layout supports natural ventilation and the generation of wind energy: The orientation of the valleys between the green mountains is optimized to catch the cooling winds from the rivers and the north in summer time. Where the stronger winds from the north enter the area small-scale windmills are positioned to create renewable energy within the GCBD. This energy is used for illuminating the park areas during night and to serve the public facilities with power. The windmills are designed as decorative wind lights.

4. SOLAR CATCHER
The cluster with the biggest surface is optimized to catch solar energy throughout the entire day. In this neighbourhood all roof areas are mounted with solar panels, which will generate enough warm water for all of the buildings in the GCBD. The “golden mountain” becomes a new landmark for Chongqing.

5. GOLDEN WIND
Drawing from vernacular Chinese architecture, natural ventilation will be incorporated in the design of each individual building. In
summertime, pagoda style roofs can screen from the harsh sunlight and catch the rolling winds to passively cool the buildings. Wind cuts and hollow ceilings allow the winds to float through each level. Because no cars are allowed in the GCBD, a fresh breeze is blowing from the rivers, and the green mountains produce a lot of oxygen, the air is good enough to open the windows! The golden wind strategy not only helps reduce the demand for electricity by cutting air conditioning, it also helps each office and housing unit increase their disposable income by reducing their energy bill!

6. PROXIMITY POINTS
The 5 minute city is a strategy for a car free district where walking, cycling and the use of public transport is the most convenient way of getting around. Instead of supporting individual motorized transport we provide each of the nine individual neighbourhoods with a stateof-the-art monorail station in their densest center. The urban layout is such that residents and visitors can reach any point in the area within a five minute walking distance from a monorail stop. Additional stations on the continuous green park take people to the social and cultural amenities or the riverbanks in a fast and efficient way.

7. CONTEXT SENSITIVE DESIGN
While some of the sustainable solutions are generic, for example the reduction of car transport, some of the proposed solutions can only be implemented in relation to the local climatic and geographic conditions or the demands of the program. Buildings along the highway for example can function as noise barriers. Others can be optimized according to sun and wind conditions.

8. MONEY FOR TRASH
We suggest the introduction of a waste recycling system where resource waste can be traded for money. The residents are to have the opportunity to return their waste back into the resource cycle in a convenient way. Collection points for the waste recycling system will be located at prominent nodes in the living machine.

9. RAINWATER FOUNTAIN
All of the rainwater of the area will be harvested. On peak days, the harvesting will deliver almost five Olympic size pools of the fresh resource. After the rainwater has been cleaned in the living machine, it can be used to water the green roof terraces, or to flush toilets. In the hot summers, rainwater fountains will create a cool and comfortable micro-climate in individual neighbourhoods. In case of overcapacities, the rainwater will be lead into underground wells where it is stored until it’s needed. If the wells are filled, superfluous rainwater will be discharged into the rivers after having been cleaned.

This information is copied from a PDF brochure including text in English and Chinese and many renderings and illustrations. This is the same PDF brochure, but two different download locations: http://uid.dk/files/co_chongqing.pdf or http://www.dac.dk/db/filarkiv/5619/cobe_chongqing.pdf

2 years ago

Christian added company COBE
2 years ago