Jury comment
In this new category, the jury identified the Fangshan Tangshan National Geopark Museum public realm as a standout project of international significance.
The site is an ancient quarry where significant human relics were discovered in 1993 within Paleozoic-era geologic formations. The project provides an experiential and immersive gateway and forecourt for the new Fangshan Tangshan National Geopark Museum, designed by architect Studio Odile Decq.
The gateway plaza and surrounding parkland connections define the public domain of the site, creating a “geopark” and a major new international tourist destination for Nanjing. Sweeping forms reveal the geology and reinforce the site’s history and contemporary interpretation, while the design includes direct references to characteristics of the Paleozoic era, from the rocky microbes of the Cambrian landscape to the Carboniferous swamp forests, embedded with carvings depicting the evolution of prehistoric life.
The project successfully integrates the often competing needs of environmental responsibility and the creation of sustainable tourism. The landscape architects are to be congratulated on the impressive outcome.
Credits
- Project
- Fangshan Tangshan National Geopark Museum
- Consultants
-
Architect
Studio Odile Decq
Landscape architect Hassell
Project collaborator Shanghai Julong Green Land Development Company
- Site Details
- Project Details
-
Status
Built
Category Landscape / urban
Type Museums, Public / civic
- Client
-
Client name
Nanjing Tangshan Construction Investment and Development Company
Source
Award
Published online: 27 Oct 2016
Words:
National Landscape Architecture Awards Jury 2016
Images:
Johnson Lin
Issue
Landscape Architecture Australia, November 2016
