Kongjian Yu
Shanghai Houtan Park - Landscape as a Living
System
Shanghai, China
The linear wetland in the middle of the park with terraces covered by a variety of native grasses and wetland plants (view facing north).Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The terraced wetland with the cascade wall behind the cypress groves is surrounded by dense bamboo groves (view facing south).Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The terraced wetland is accessible for visitors to enter the inner spaces of the living landscape—dramatically increasing the capacity of the park during the Expo without sacrificing sensational experience.Credit: © Kongjian Yu
A network of paths is designed to allow visitors to surround themselves in the landscape. Native maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis) phytoremediates the brownfield soil and requires little maintenance.Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The terraced wetland is heavily planted to clean the contaminated water falling from the cascade wall behind the cypress groves, and the ecofriendly boardwalk composed of decomposable bamboo (view facing southwest end of the park).Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The terraced wetland creates a quiet valley, allowing people to access the water and enjoy the views (facing west with the Huangpu River and skyscrapers in the background).Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The banded pattern of the wetland plant community demonstrates the filtrating process of the wetland at the entrance of the park. Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The steel arbor in the wetland is composed of recycled steel panels from the site, which provides shade, shelter, frames views, and shapes spaces.Credit: © Kongjian Yu
Crops (sunflowers and rice in summer) are grown in the terraces throughout the seasons to filter excess nutrients from the Huangpu River water and to make the landscape productive and educational.Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The hanging garden is designed around the existing industrial structure, with hanging planters installed above the teahouses located at a recreational center of the park.Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The floating garden designed around the existing cargo pier, integrated with a shade structure, seating, screens and planters, becomes an overlook above the Huangpu River during low tide.Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The steel arbor in the wetland is composed of recycled steel panels from the site, which provides shade, shelter, frames views, and shapes spaces.Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The existing cargo pier is transformed into an overlook platform above the Huangpu River, updated with an arbor, railings, seating and planters.Credit: © Kongjian Yu
The site plan of Houtan Park (top) and a bird’s-eye view from the southwest (bottom).Credit: © Kongjian Yu









































