Under Construction | 2021-2025

 

171, 300 sqm | Master Planning, Residential, Commercial, Waterfront, Civic, Culture, Landscape, Mixed-use

 

Client | Suzhou Xiangcheng District Government

 

SPARK ‘s proposal establishes a development framework for the former light industrial and residential village to create a new cultural and economic network of extraordinary programmes and events. Inspired by the processional principles of Suzhou’s traditional Chinese garden design and their harmonic relationship with water, Suzhou’s world famous natural resource. The idea of creating a ‘social picturesque’ where the views to and from the various buildings and spaces arranged around the lake and waterfront give meaning and identity to the master plan. There is great subtlety in this “poetic” approach with the built interventions stemming from the desire to create a connected cultural-tourism destination around water, a catalyst for a future inspired by the best of the past. Human relationship to water in Suzhou is critically important, historically it was used for pragmatic puposes like trade and industry but now its primary value is one of amenity. SPARK’s proposal maximise this value so all routes / pathways are connected and have aspect to the water

Having won the international masterplanning competition for the site, SPARK completed the first phase, a lively commercial district which officially opened in January 2024.

The second phase, now under construction, consists of an “Urban Market” and a village of design studios that blend contemporary architecture with heritage-inspired placemaking. This next chapter dives deeper into the cultural spirit of Suzhou, weaving ancient garden traditions with contemporary design.

“You could describe our master plan as “architectural acupuncture” which strategically touches the district to create points of interest, a connected chain of navigable events and spaces that combine to form an interpretation of the “social picturesque” tradition, a new people centric cultural quarter for Suzhou”

PHASE 1

PHASE 2 & 3

“There is great subtlety in this “poetic” approach with the built interventions stemming from the desire to create a connected cultural-tourism destination around water, a catalyst for a future inspired by the best of the past.”

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