ONE CITY Development Gemdale Wuhan

We set out to create a destination that provides a unique response that provides both valuable contribution to the public realm of the city and a place that acknowledges the importance of socially orientated space for the people. To do this we drew reflection from contemporary Wuhan lifestyle and the traditional local mythology of the ‘Phoenix’.

The design is structured with a series of diverse spaces, nodes and experiences connected and unified by a fluid gesture and movement. The center piece is a sweeping layered fountain and water play, that provides a calming retreat for workers during the day and a vibrant interactive fountain for families and visitors on weekends and evenings.

The fountain is surrounded by sweeping line of Gingko trees that provide a striking elevated canopy throughout the year and shade for people to gather under as a retreat from the summer heat. In the Autumn months the striking foliage colour provides a connection to the idea of fire and flames.

Mimicking the notation of the Phoenix in flight, the ground plane provides dynamic and fluid language across the entire project, each gesture tailored to create connection and conversation from one space and node to another.

A series of ‘’social edges’’ sculptured from local stone, guide visitor’s movement and encourage social exchange. Each edge was studied to bring people physically closer together, encouraging social interaction and to unplug from the digital world to engage with each other and their surroundings.