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16 WATERFRONT


Shanghai’s waterfront development plan


D


eltas, coasts, rivers and even the smallest mountain streams are often the original source of urban and


rural development. In Asia, most large metropolitan cities in China such as Shanghai, Dalian, Chongqing and Suzhou have been developed along water systems that penetrate deep into the mainland. These waterways have been used for transportation, agriculture and exploitation of natural


resources for centuries, becoming the lifeline for settlement. In Asia, water has always been considered to be one of the key elements of nature, to be respected, used and enjoyed as part of the landscape – a place designed to create harmony between architecture and nature. The companies working in


partnership with Waterfronts NL have come to understand, however, that despite its rich relationship with


water, considering water as a recreational asset has never been a strong tradition in Asia. Due to modernisation, increased travel and new global communication networks, local attitudes towards water are now changing fast in China. This new perspective includes embracing the waterfront as a modern iconic urban place for land-based and water-based recreational activities. Over the last ten years, Asia has


rapidly expanded its marinas and water-based leisure activities as well as investing in waterfront facilities. Many city planners and governments are being inspired by internationally- renowned waterfronts, often hoping to replicate these successful places within their own cities. However, any good place-making professional understands the challenge of creating an idealised waterfront project that not only fi ts into the local urban


MARINA ASIA-PACIFIC • MAY 2016


Picture credit: istock


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