Shanghai, China
- urban design study and master plan of the new quarter in Shanghai
Main characteristic of towns such as Prague and other medieval towns is a very intensified use of the land, where the result is high density and special compactness. Similar compact feeling we would like to achieve in our joint project of Czech Quarter, while respecting the Chinese Government compulsory request of building distance and sunshine duration. Another strong element, already present on the site, are naturally flowing rivers and system of canals. We explored this theme to create atmosphere around the waterfront similar to Prague and Czech cities and the relation to their river banks. The main stream of the existing river divides the site into north and south part, the main emphasis being placed on the planning of this atmosphere of embankment and treatment of the waterfront with alleyways of plane trees and walkway along the river. We are reusing the stone built river bank in this part of the river, and complementing it with street design elements – railings, public lighting, pavement, walkways of marble mosaics (Prague mosaic) and other detailing, which historically created the unique atmosphere of Czech cities. The apartment buildings on the river front are following the river shape with it’s natural curve. Along the river the minimum of 6 m set back is respected. As part of the Master plan we proposed newly created canal – new branch of the river with the Czech pond – man made lake with cluster of villas and apartments grouped around it. This allows maximum number of villas to be placed on river bank.
The villas near the waterfront will be set back 6 m from the water line and the apartments will be set back 3-5 m from the line in the south part of the lot.
There are two existing bridges across the river connecting the north and south part of the area. These bridges can be used for car traffic. We propose a new bridge in the villas area to be used for car traffic, the other bridges are foot bridges only to be used by pedestrians, so that there is an addition of only one new bridge for cars and three small pedestrian foot bridges.
The entrance near the existing building is planned for hotel only. The entrance near the canal we would use for this phase of the Czech Quarter project. In the next phase the main entrance will be used as per overall future master plan.
Basic idea of compact urban planning, which is so characteristic for central European towns, where Prague is one of the best examples is achieved by grouping the individual unit types in 18 different groups – mixing and grouping together different units designed by three architectural offices.
During the design stage we presented together 42 different apartment types to create more vital, differentiated environment with great diversity, like in Prague or other Czech cities. The changing of apartment types is created with respect to facades / elevations also varying in height and colors. Final number of apartment units types is 21, always 2 units on one stairwell. By choosing one unit type as base for creation of Master plan concept, based on width of 22 – 25 m, we are getting close to original planning and regulation of Prague parceling of lots.
PETR FRANTA ARCHITECTS team and Architect Milunic's STUDIO VM team each designed 8 types of apartment units, which were prepared based on the criteria discussed during our briefing meetings in Shanghai.
Architect DOUBNER'S team prepared 5 types of apartments, with strong historical emphasis in their design. Then we put together 21 types of apartments assembled in 18 different groups, all of them prevalently facing the south. The whole master plan has a very strict required orientation towards the south with minor deviation of up to 15°. Near the entrance on the waterfront we placed the historically inspired buildings designed by arch. Doubner. This design in more detail incorporates the landscaped alleyways of plane trees and other landscape features.
We provided higher number of apartment types in order to achieve more individual units and greater diversity to obtain higher architectural quality and visual similarity to Czech towns, while using contemporary methods of construction. We are s to keep this unique concept very variated. The individual units have its own color, they are part of the overall color scheme within the groups 1 – 18. We designed change of the heights of units in very organic way. We believe that this variability in apartments will play important role from selling / marketing point of view, future owners will appreciate more the individuality of their own apartment.
Specially in view of further phases of the site – adjacent lots – we believe that we are extending our architectural and marketing discussion.
Individual elements, such as windows, railing for the balconies, roofs, balustrades for AC units e.t.c. we reduce balcony railing to 12 different types with different color scheme through the project.
On the northern façade we are positioning little balconies for the air-conditioning machines. Also each apartment will have its own balcony facing south.
The architectural layout of the ground floor will have either the garden or balcony. It is designed together with the landscape design. We respect the Chinese custom to hang the wet clothes under the sun, having sinks in the front yards and a place for the older people to sit in the open air. Therefore from architectural point of view there will be loggia/balcony to each apartment.
There is 8 two bedroom types (2B), 8 threebedroom (3B) types and 5 fourbedroom (4B) types designed by three architects offices (see table 1). Every bedroom, living room and all other rooms will have windows directly to the outside. In some cases there is a small window in the store rooms in the north elevation.
The total number of 415 apartments is calculated and grouped in order to respect the plot ratio – 0,8, the sunshine / sunshade rules, and building density – 0,2. Some of the apartments groups will not need elevator (less than 5 floors).
The color scheme is for guidance only and will be established in accordance with the samples provided by Hodoor (Nippon paint, China Co. Ltd., Color Creation).
The allocation of apartment types is shown on table1.
Surface areas of the ground floor areas are shown on table 3 (blocks 1 – 18).
The large villas (such as types A and B) are located along the canal waterfront.
The variety of the villa types consists of diversification in size type of villas (150 – 290 m2), which is designed by two different architectural teams.
The villa area is separated from the apartment area (for securing higher privacy) by the road by the waterways, and by undulating topographical differentiation and landscaping.
The villas as types C, D, E, F located on the elevated hillock (not directly situated by the waterfront) still enjoy visual amenity of the water from higher up.
See table 2 for allocation of villa types and plot numbers by two architectural teams.
Integral part of the Master plan is landscape design and planting of the greenery using principles of Czech urban landscape, such as it is on the river embankment, within villa area as well as in the central square and between apartment blocks. The whole of the area is accessed by the temporary entrance from the west which is connected by two way road with the proposed permanent entrance. This road leads along the commercial area and sports club and branches of to the underground car park for 60 cars. This two way spinal road becomes a loop road, the southern part of which is situated behind the waterfront facing apartment blocks, turns north across the river towards the villa area and southwards along the apartment blocks. In the northern part of the loop the road branches of leading to underground car park for 40 cars. All other circulation on the site is via pedestrian walkways with occasional car access.
The main spinal two way communication complimented by secondary pedestrian routes with car access (one way only) creates the main traffic artery. This system requires one car bridge, supplemented by three footbridges predominantly for the use of pedestrian and bridges.
The planned hotel has separate entry with 25 car parking spaces and car drop off in front of the lobby.
Our proposal, how to meet the demand of parking (underground and ground surface) and bomb shelter aerial defense we suggest to design in following manner: It is placed between apartment zone south – placement of 100 cars under ground – 40 in the north part, 60 in the south part.
Car parking on the ground - 80 required is distributed as shown (60 south and 20 north). Villas have their own parking – smaller car park shown in our master plan – 70 places. We are suggesting to change the heights in very organic way.
As in Prague and other Czech cities we are creating promenade on the waterfront along the apartment buildings with alleyway of plane trees spaced 8 -10 m apart. Recommended height of trunks is minimum 2,50 m under the tree crown. It creates the right atmosphere for promenades and the double alley creates feeling of the cathedral ceiling, typical characteristic for the Czech public parks (see section 1,2) River canal and pond banks north villa / apartment area Public side of the embankment with stone bank is lined along the public sidewalk by Plane Tree (Catalpa). Around the pond bank are placed Weeping Willows (Salix) and willow shrubs. There is newly created island with Bamboo species. It creates atmosphere of Czech ponds and pond banks. Private gardens of villas on the other side of the canal are planned with groupings of predominantly Chinese Tulip Tree (Liriodendron), Maidenhair Tree (Ginko), Redbud (Cercis), supported by decorative shrubs and divided hedges-
Public space is formed by two interconnected public squares. Northern part of the square is paved in stone pavement with typical Prague patterns (small cube paviours in different configuration and size). It is landscaped with rows of plane trees planted in the same level as pavement, with distances 8 – 10 m a part in a more regular formal pattern. There is a predominant axis in north – south direction demarcated by pedestrian path lined with trees. This will be paved in different type, color and structure of paving. Water elements are situated along the pedestrian pathways connected by brooks.
Sense of place is accentuated by the perception of the northern square with its regularly shaped water basin, as a more formal space designed along more rigid, defined principles, including the type and position of greenery, whereas for contrast, the south part is conceived as a more organic, free flowing natural green space with an irregularly shaped pond next to recreational meadow. The hard / soft surfaces of the water’s edge are also designed according to the above principles.
Cordial spine pathway is crossing the north basin and small bridge is constructed over the brook. By locating the pond at a lower level, the sound of water can be heard from the connecting brook with its gentle cascades.
Between apartment blocks 1 to 5 the pedestrian pathway with occasional car access is designed in such a way that berms/hillocks are created. Grassy undulating terrain is formed by locating the grassy berms/hillocks in regular groupings evoking the central European pagan hills. This topography is accentuated by grown landscaping such as Magnolias, Holly Trees, groups of Plane Trees etc.
Gardens belonging to each unit on the ground floors are fenced by various types of hedges for privacy, i.e. each of the units has its own different characteristic type, for example Holly Tree hedge, while the neighboring has False Laurel (Prunus) etc.
The same principle is used on the site between groups 7 to 18 and 8 to 18. However, slightly different types of greenery are used here, such as rows of maple (Acer carpinifolium). South of the row 7 and 18 there is a connecting road which is lined on one side by alleyways consisting of Sophora with light airy crown, dividing space visually as well as filtering the traffic fumes. The built and landscape pattern is kept as an undulating form, both on plan and topography.
There are two types of communications throughout the area. One is lined by different types of hedges, which form division between the walkway and private land, and also there is a strip hedging between the road and the private land. Car parking areas within the villa site are also lined by such hedges. The second type of communication is designed as the pedestrian pathways paved in typical Prague pattern stone paving. So designed, predominantly pedestrian pathways, however, allow the owners of the villa access by their car. All the utilities are placed under this paving, which allows easy maintenance. As a general principle the majority of the villas is situated next to the waterfront (26 out of 40 of the villas). The canal banks and the pond are lined by the trees which visually screen the private properties as well as being reflected in the water ; species such as Chinese Tulip Tree (Liriodendron). From the water level the terrain is rising to 4 to 5 m height and the villas in the center are situated on this hillock, so evoking the atmosphere of Prague villa quarters, historically always located on the sloping terrain.
Within the villa area the green landscaping is conceived in such a way, so that the variety of the species specified aids the orientation within the area. In each garden will be planted so called “family tree” located near the house, various species emphasizing the individuality of each garden.
The water element, in cases where not directly next to the property, becomes a visual amenity for the properties located on the elevated part of the ground within the central part. One new car bridge is constructed over the river canal, while three new footbridges are completing the pedestrian pattern. These can also be used as bicycle routes.
Half of the trees used in the design are established species, (predominantly Cinamomum camphora, Trachycarpus) to be transplanted from the existing positions on the site. For sunscreen purposes two areas landscaped by Catalpa are placed on north and south part of this area. Green barrier dividing the road from the bus stop is created from Sophora. The inner street / court is landscaped by already grown trees (transplanted Windmill palm/Trachycarpus, Magnolia,).
Trees transplanted from the adjacent area (Cinamomum camphora) are to be replanted to the hilly area created above the underground parking. This visually separates the villa areas from the hotel as well as the apartment area rows 1-5. Near the entrance to the hotel newly created hillocks are landscaped by Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and Sophora etc., behind which is a car parking area for 25 cars. The strip of land south of the hotel entrance, stretching towards the 1st phase entrance is landscaped both topographically and by greenery in such a way as to create visual as well as noise protection. The hotel amenity should be enhanced by planting the combination of bamboo, willows, alder etc. screen along the river front.