Peking University, Sept. 13, 2012: On August 28, American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) announced its 2012 Professional Awards. In the General Design Category, Qunli Stormwater Park, designed by a team of Professor Yu Kongjian from the Graduate School of Landscape Architecture (GSLA) at Peking University (PKU), was honored the Award of Excellence.

Urban stormwater problems have become a trouble in many major cities in China nowadays. Not only could waterlog do economic damage, but also threatens people’s life. However, Qunli National Wetland Park, located in Harbin, Northeast China, was labeled “stormwater” for its brand way to solve urban stormwater problems via landscape design.

The construction of Qunli New District started in 2006, covering an area of 27 square kilometers. In 2009, Professor Yu Kongjian and his team undertook the design task of a central park, the permeable green space of 34 hectares in the district.

By building a “green sponge”, the park cleansed and stored urban precipitation, which can be integrated with other ecosystem services including the protection of native habitats, aquifer recharge, recreational use, and aesthetic experience, in all these ways fostering urban development.

Skywalk above the stormwater ponds in the park

In this way, a series of comprehensive ecological effects have been significantly reflected. The pre-existing wetland habitat has been restored and native biodiversity preserved. Potentially flooding stormwater now contributes to an environmental amenity in the city. The storm water park has not only become a popular urban amenity but has also been upgraded to a National Urban Wetland Park because of its improvement to ecological and biological conditions.

“Refreshing - It functions in a way that isn’t necessarily part of our vocabulary. There are different moments in the design,” commented the 2012 Professional Awards Jury.

Professor Yu has devoted himself to the planning and development of modern cities in China, which is fully recognized by the global peers. This Award of Excellence is the ninth of his ASLA honors.

Background Info:

Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing nearly 16,000 members in 48 professional chapters and 76 student chapters.

The Society's mission is to lead, to educate and to participate in the careful stewardship, wise planning and artful design of our cultural and natural environments. 

In this year’s ASLA awarding list, all the 37 winners were selected from over 620 entries in the categories of General Design, Residential Design, Analysis and Planning, Communications, and Research.

Written by: Gao Hongfei

Edited by: Arthars

Source: PKU News (Chinese)