Grown as a cradle of modern industry in China, Tangshan is moving to the verge of transformation into an urban quarter to advocates quality living. The notion of quality living within a city has always closely related to its urban space, which transcends beyond functionalism but rather people-oriented and experiential driven in the contemporary era. They are inherently a reflection of regional spirituality, native commemoration, and daily transit of the community. In light of this, we seek to create a quality urban space amidst the rapid urbanism, amongst the industrial-intensive urbanity of Tangshan.

Attracted by the verticality of the water tower that stands out from its surrounding and the vitality of the conjuncture of streets, the Abandoned Water Tower (Plot 03) has become the selected site for this project. It embodies the potential to integrate a series of urban features that complement an odyssey leads to the tower as culmination spot. Reacting towards the gradually densified and stressed urban living, these urban features could be a pacemaker, slowing down the tempo to rediscover the consciousness to the urbanscape and a sense of wonder of the passerby. This odyssey shall triumph as a journey of wellness, analogous to a lifeline to search for rejuvenation of one-self from a fast-paced urban lifestyle.

Parallel to the concept of a territory of wellness, the design is originated from the idea of Four Arts in Chinese tradition, including the music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, which usually portrays self-composure and inner peace. These arts are being reinterpreted into taxonomy of streetscapes with various qualities: Soundscape, Funscape, Wisescape, and Viewscape. They come as a diverse totality, resembles the serial imageability of the wall, flooring, canopy, and pillar. They unified with the people’s territory, their daily rendezvous, and ended with the restored tower. By redefining the habitual traces of the community situated amidst the urban axial nave, the lifeline become a pause, a relief, and a fresh breath to the city.

Q-City Compeition 2021 - Tangshan, China

Strolling in Art-scapes

邻街雅巷，缓缓相遇