China's Urban Forest

Via Bustler, an amazing competition winner at the New Urban Streetscape in Beijing, sponsored by New World China Land Limited. Entitled 'Urban Forest' and anchored by SITE New York along with Chinese firm WaHa Studio.


:: image via Bustler

Bustler offers some extensive text, so definitely check out the link and the description. Some highlights: "It is our team’s view that one of the main values of horizontal surfaces in the cityscape is to use streets, parks, plazas and gardens as means of mediation between neighborhoods, building heights, economic levels and territorial functions."


:: image via Bustler

Continuing: "In designing the New World public space, the SITE/WaHa “Urban Forest” concept has been influenced by an observation that the existing site is roughly shaped like a growing tree, with a crown of extended branches. It can also be seen as similar to a river, with many tributaries, or linked to the cardiovascular system of a human body."


:: image via Bustler

More: "The main features of this concept – an evolution from plaza to architecture, inside and outside treated as simultaneous events, dense forest areas in the cityscape and an infinitely flexible paving design – are readily applicable to other parts of the city."




:: images via Bustler

My favorite quote from the entry, via Bustler: "In summary, the horizontal surfaces and mounded configurations of the Urban Forest establish a universal (but also site-specific) concept - including a tree branch • river tributaries • vascular system • Chinese calligraphy • regional landscape imagery - for Beijing’s New World center. This iconography is expressed vertically and horizontally, physically and symbolically, experientially and ecologically."

To which we can all say, huh?

Or perhaps, can we throw another metaphor into that mix maybe? Either way, I really like the concept, although a bit heavy-handed - or maybe a chance to use my favorite new saying 'ham fisted'. Anyway, my biggest rant is the flat black and white graphics. The idea is great, but gets lost in the scribbly and frankly amateurish illustration... while sometimes a very powerful and evocative... are just patently bad. Landscape can be done well in black and white - but is for the most part - much, much better in color. Or if you're going to do black and white - at least do it simply and well.

Good to see that good concept beats good graphics - but would be better to see both.