Pingsha New Town

Since Gaolan Port Economic Zone was promoted to a National Level Economic Development Zone, Pingsha new town will be elevated as the supporting business and living centre of the zone, serves as a new city expansion for Zhuhai, China. In addition, as Haiquan Bay Resort north to the new town is already a popular tourist destination, Pingsha will also be a vibrant tourist centre for the surrounding area.

Pingsha new town occupies 25 square km land area with a start-up area of 7.25 square km. Existing waterways evoke a link with its past culture, while the central waterway is the backbone of new city grid. Benefited by such waterway nature, Pingsha new town is destined to become an open coastal city, attracting people to settle there due to its urban mobility and its priority for a human scale environment.

The start-up area is naturally linked by two inter-crossing axes which are formed by inner waterways. To activate the whole area, a “City Belt” is laid out from the south shore line to the north park which divides the main area into different functional zones. The City Belt works as a catalyst merging not only different functions but also different public spaces to bring diverse activities to the new town.

The urban design has taken in account of a combined working and living experience. Upscale working environment as well as fully supported services is integrated, making it easy to commute between home and work place. Plot sizes are laid out according to human scale and efficiency. A variety of green zones according to specific characters create a diverse feeling of city-park on different levels.

Along the heart of the waterway layout is the cultural island. It houses a conference centre, a museum and exhibition facilities which will be the focus for visiting tourists. The main waterway connects to two main water features: the Hot Springs Park to the north and the sea to the south. This is a dynamic visual corridor linking the heart of the city to its special surroundings as noted above.