Landscape Design for Suzhou Greentown Aroma of Sense

The project, covering approximately 29,684 square meters in Suzhou, is conceived as a “three-dimensional flowing lily garden” that integrates the city’s cultural heritage with contemporary urban life. Suzhou is not only gentle and graceful but also modern, fashionable, and technological. Drawing inspiration from the layered elegance of lilies, the design uses the planning strategy of “one core, two axes, and double rings” to merge the poetry of traditional gardens with leisure and ecological performance, creating an immersive sequence where visitors can stroll, pause, and heal both body and mind.
The narrative theme, “Aroma of Sense,” translates the lily motif into spatial elements and experiential rhythms, establishing a distinctive sense of place and cultural continuity. Landscape here is not simply for viewing; it becomes functional, social, and artistic. Iconic features include a sculpture of a budding lily at the arrival plaza, symmetrical iron hollies symbolizing abundance, and a century-old pomegranate tree anchoring the central courtyard beneath a dramatic skylight. A sunken core forms the spatial heart, where layered paths, waterfalls, and seasonal plantings provide multi-dimensional experiences across spring’s lush greens and autumn’s fiery reds.
The design transcends conventional greening to act as an ecological catalyst, balancing beauty with sustainability. Sponge-city principles guide strategies for rainwater gardens and recessed green spaces that absorb, store, and reuse runoff. Materials such as purple dots, golden hemp, and Kuban green stone create a noble and stable setting, complemented by fruit trees and water features to enrich daily life.
Challenges included complex building-landscape interfaces, underground structural constraints, and a compressed schedule. Solutions were found through early collaboration with architects and engineers, precise coordination across disciplines, modular construction, and adaptive plant selection. The result is not only a landscape but a self-sustaining ecosystem and vibrant social organ.
Ultimately, the project achieves innovation and balance on multiple levels: culturally rooted and narratively engaging, ecologically sustainable with measurable performance, socially activating for communities, and aesthetically refined. It presents a living environment where tradition and modernity, art and ecology, converge to inspire and restore.