FUXING ISLAND: Shanghai

FUXING ISLAND - SHANGHAI

© Miguel Ortiz

Tongji University CAUP Design Summer School 2024

Framework

Tongji International Design Summer School has been organized by CAUP (College of Architecture and Urban Planning) in Shanghai since 2005. It is a two-week urban design workshop and platform for international students to meet and exchange ideas. I received the scholarship and participated in July 2024, along with 23 architecture and urban design students from 11 different countries. The summer school centers around an idea competition, where participants are divided into smaller teams to develop concepts that are later critiqued by invited international jurors.

THEME

The theme of the competition was “Healthy and Resilient Cities.” The aim was to explore how to effectively integrate the concepts of health and resilience in urban planning and to provide innovative solutions for the sustainable development of future cities.

SITE

Fuxing Island, situated in the lower reaches of the Huangpu River and located in the southeast of Yangpu District, Shanghai, is the only enclosed river island in downtown Shanghai and the sole island in the Huangpu River. It is an artificial island formed through human reclamation and dredging. Over a hundred years, Fuxing Island has played roles as industrial land, military station, and enterprise base, accompanying people in Shanghai. The main purpose of this workshop is to discuss how to explore the full potential of the strategic reserve area, amend the defects of the urban environment, improve the quality of urban space and rejuvenate existing neighborhoods, through creative urban design.

TEAM

9 students, 3 professors, 7 countries, 4 continents

(China, Mexico, France, Ruanda, Canada, Spain and Germany)

TIME

7 days

Diagnostic

Fuxing Island

Summary: Connected, but disconnected. Accessible only by car and metro. Area characterized by industry. Important universities around. Residential areas lack public spaces. Diverse types of green infrastructure (parks, national forest, riverwalk) with no connection in between. Waterfront used by industry. Island surrounded either by walls or port infrastructure. Tide creates temporary wetlands. Walking from north to south takes 48 minutes.

Vision and Strategy

Escape the Urban / The Urban Escape

Summary: Creating a healthy urban retreat from Shanghai. Utilizing the industrial heritage. Preserving the island’s identity and history. Reusing existing structures. Encouraging healthy movement through pedestrian and bike-friendly infrastructure. Collaborating with water, not against it. Promoting interaction with water. Establishing a biodiversity refuge.

Design

Mixed-use development meets biodiverse landscape

Summary: Design focuses on mixed-use development while creating a flood-safe, pedestrian-friendly environment with restored marshland and public open spaces. Flood-safe bridges connect key areas, ensuring accessibility even during high tides. The marshland is restored to support biodiversity and act as a natural buffer against flooding. Public open spaces are integrated throughout, providing areas for recreation, architecture and community gatherings while preserving the island’s natural beauty and industrial heritage. Urban escape for the citizen of Shanghai.