Leshan Three Rivers Resilient Waterfront Open Space

At the confluence of three rivers in Leshan, China—where the historic city directly faces the UNESCO-listed Leshan Giant Buddha—this project has renovated a 2.5-kilometer-long flood-prone waterfront area to protect and preserve this riverside heritage due to the rise in water level caused by the newly built hydropower station. Integrated flood control, heritage restoration, and public realm design reconnect the city’s waterfront open space with sacred Millennium Buddha Landscape, uniting both banks into a vibrant landscape where history, community, and daily life converge.

1. City–Levee Integration, Cultural Continuity

In full view of the Leshan Giant Buddha, the design preserves all 11 surviving city gates and reconstructs five lost ones, reconnecting the city’s defensive heritage with its sacred riverside vista. Working closely with historians and archaeologists, the project revives Leshan’s unique palette, textures, and spatial patterns while retaining long-standing community gathering spots. New cultural trails extend from the levee into the old city, making the riverfront not only a heritage landmark but also the city’s ceremonial face to the Buddha—continuing a dialogue that has endured for over a millennium.

2. Dual-Mode Resilience, River–City Symbiosis

A “peace–flood dual-use” strategy creates flexible, layered flood protection. In daily use, it offers immersive riverside leisure; in flood season, deployable barriers, backflow valves, and pumping stations safeguard the city while preserving heritage structures.

3. Cultural–Tourism Synergy, Multi-Modal Access

Two new docks at historic gates, three upgraded ferry crossings, and a continuous 2.5 km waterfront greenway linking to a 10 km urban loop create seamless land–water access. Timed traffic controls and road upgrades ease flows between the city, riverfront, and Leshan Giant Buddha, enhancing shared tourism and local experiences.

4. Operations-First, Experience-Driven Activation

Market research defined resident and tourist profiles, shaping a matrix of heritage programs, leisure events, and commercial spaces. Financial modeling ensured viability, while design–operation alignment created a year-round, adaptive waterfront that sustains culture, community, and commerce.

This is not merely a flood-resilient upgrade, but a layered cultural journey along a living levee, where a millennium of heritage meets the rhythm of a modern riverside city.