RTKL ANNOUNCES GROUNDBREAKING OF NEW CHENGDU CITY CENTER PROJECT NEWS
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Signaling the growing influence of China’s inland cities, global architec- ture, engineering and urban design practice RTKL, announced the groundbreaking of the first phase of Pearl River New Town, an 80-acre district in Chengdu that will form the heart of the city’s westward growth and modernization. Located in the Wenjiang District
along the banks of the Jiang’an River, the entire site is conceived as a fabric woven together by public streets, pedestrian paths, and bridge connec- tions. The inspiration for the design came from Chengdu’s history as a leading center for the production of brocade cloth. The fabric design, with its flowing lines and rich colors, is a metaphor for the architecture: a place that weaves together a variety of uses
and experiences, and a mix of old and new. The centerpiece of the plan is a
110,000 SM, four-level shopping mall, which will be anchored by an Ito department store. The mall will be open and airy, with generous natural light, a central court, and green roof that will connect to a 35-story Class A office tower. Outside, a number of plazas and
landscaped areas will offer gathering places and retail activity on the street. Of particular note is the pedestrian- friendly “Silk Walk,” a lifestyle envi- ronment lined with restaurants and shops. This experience will have the character of a traditional Chinese city, full of activity and life. “With the groundbreaking of this district comes the beginning of a new
city center, and a new standard for international quality urban develop- ment in Chengdu,” said Thomas Brink AIA, LEED AP, vice president of RTKL. In order to give the area a distinc-
tive and memorable character, a com- prehensive brand identity will be integrated into all aspects of the envi-
ronment. The built environment is interwoven into the site in a way that celebrates the city’s vibrant cultural heritage and its diverse mix of modern day lifestyles. This experi- ence creates an interconnected com- munity grounded in tradition but poised for a dynamic and exciting future.
RICHARD BURBIDGE AND BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY DISCOVER ‘BALUSTRADE OF THE FUTURE’ THROUGH DESIGN PROJECT
system during an intensive one-week project. The designs were judged by a panel
Talented students at Birmingham City University have stepped up to the challenge of creating inspiring new ideas for staircase design, in a special competition run in conjunc- tion with balustrade specialist Richard Burbidge. 14 students on the MA Product
Design course designed and built prototypes of a new stair balustrade
of industry experts, who selected Habib Djalilov’s ingenious bubble- effect design as the winner. In second place was Xunbo Tang’s mesh design, inspired by the Beijing Olympics Bird’s Nest stadium, while third place was awarded to Diana Proost for her 1960s-style floating balustrade. A special award was also presented to Jui Hsuan Chang who incorporated planters into her balustrade design. Each winner received a voucher
prize and overall winner Habib has also been offered a work placement at Richard Burbidge Ltd, the UK market leader in stair balustrade.
Richard Burbidge is also donating technical equipment to the MA Product Design department, as part of the project. The MA course is delivered by the
University’s Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD); the largest centre for art and design outside London. David Richards, Specification and
Trade Marketing Manager for Richard Burbidge, said: “We were amazed by the creativity and quality of the students’ work, especially as they had a limited amount of time. “We genuinely struggled to choose
a winner, but Habib’s bubble-effect design was truly inspiring and really pushed the design boundaries. He
was keen to explore whether balustrade had to be linear and he cer- tainly succeeded in challenging the norm to produce a stunning concept. “The competition generated a
diverse range of ideas and we are now reviewing whether the concepts are deliverable in the real world.” Graham Powell, Course Director
and Product Design Subject Leader for BIAD, added: “The competition gave the students a fantastic insight into the excitement, pressures and challenges of delivering design proj- ects in the field. The results were out- standing and it was great to work with a manufacturer like Richard Burbidge, who really supported the students and the project.”
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