Landscape Urbanism in the Fast Lane

Abstract

I asked a local expat when I first moved to Shanghai what it’s like living in China, as we chatted over craft beers street side, with the ever-present noise from road-works and nearby construction sites. He responded: “China’s really not bad at all, it’s still under construction, but wait till it’s finished!”. As an Urban Designer and Landscape Architect, being in that moment really reminded me of why I left behind a life by the beach in sunny Sydney. I came to be part of this one in a lifetime transformation of unimaginable scale, before all the dust settles and a shiny new World Superpower emerges.

About the Author

Jack Qian is currently Studio Director at ASPECT Studios where he leads the practice with fellow Studio Director Stephen Buckle in Shanghai. He was raised in Sydney, Australia and now resides in his birth city of Shangai. Jack is an accomplished multi-disciplinary designer and Australian Registered Landscape Architect collaborating across urban design, art and digital media.
Contact: Jack.Qian@aspect-studios.com

Article

It was 1992, and at six years old, I was bidding farewell to my home city of Shanghai to embark on a new life in Australia with my parents. As we stood along The Bund, or ‘Waitan’, I remember looking across the Huangpu River at an empty Pudong skyline, with a futuristic rocket ship nearing completion. That “rocket ship” was the Oriental Pearl Tower, little did we know this was just a hint of things to come in one of the most dramatic urban transformations in recent history.

Now, 30 years on, the Oriental Pearl is surrounded by some of the tallest towers in the world, forming a dazzling skyline that defines its entire nation. Wanting to be part of it all and seeking a change of scenery, I moved back to Shanghai in 2016 to set up and lead the China operations for a well-known Australian Landscape Architecture studio that I had been with since graduation. The gear shift in culture and practice was immediately apparent, I quickly learned this is not a place to fight against the tide but rather find middle ground in perspectives and differences in design processes. The insane pace of advancement has formed an industry that is constantly adapting to change. Fueled by China’s immense appetite for innovation and eagerness for international collaborations, we hit the ground running, and in no time, we were exposed to opportunities that would normally take years to come by back home. Six years on and still in Shanghai, it’s a little overwhelming how much I’ve managed to pack in during this time; from setting up an Australian landscape practice in China; founding Gossamer with old colleagues in partnership with a local design institute (LDI) in 2018; joining ASPECT Studios as Studio Co-Director overseeing operations across China; as well as being involved in over 30-odd projects across China.

This is landscape urbanism in the fast lane!

For a country rapidly transitioning from imitation to innovation, China as a nation is really beginning to celebrate its own culture and connecting with its own identity through design. As an Australian designer, I see an increasing appreciation for our way of doing things, now more than ever, as the gap between our industries and processes narrows. China is making tremendous ground in transitioning focus onto refinement and sustainability in urban and strategic projects. There are significant opportunities for Australian know-how in developing people, place and culture driven outcomes, infused with our long track record of environment-orientated thinking. As international urban and landscape practitioners, there is a substantial role to play in working with local design institutes, clients and governments in implementing our ideas across many sectors from city scale planning to pocket parks. However, maintaining sustained success here is not for everyone or for every organisation. On top of the underlying cultural differences, the pace of most projects is fast usually on a limited brief, commercial arrangements can be unpredictable, and controlling the outcome through it all can be tough work. Thankfully the days of a client wanting a dragon or lotus flower is waning. Still, there is an art to tactfully find alignment and deliver valuable and meaningful outcomes — should the odd curveball come your way.  Even now, during these challenging times, there are big rewards to be gained in China. The noticeable shift in mindset and sense of urgency the country has to address issues relating to urban development and environmental protection is clear. It is a nation that is proactively seeking to rectify issues of the past and secure a sustainable and prosperous future.

Here’s a showcase of where urbanism is heading across China:

In early 2021, I joined ASPECT Studios to co-lead China operations with fellow studio director Stephen Buckle, who has been instrumental in maintaining the studio at the forefront of the industry in the region since 2015. The Shanghai Studio of ASPECT was established over 15 years ago following an international design competition win for a new city spine in Foshan, at the time, led by the company’s founder Chris Razzell and Director Sacha Coles. ASPECT Studios is one of only a handful of true ‘international-local’ landscape practices in China succeeding in delivering prominent projects to world-class standards, pushing boundaries and setting new benchmarks across multiple typologies, through projects like The Roof Shanghai, Shanghai East Library, Hyperlane Chengdu, Central Park Ho Chi Minh, The Ring Chongqing, Alibaba Campus Hangzhou, LKF Dream Centre, One City Wuhan and Baoshan Waterfront in Shanghai. We are very excited for the future ahead both as Global Practice and a Boutique Local, here’s a peak of what’s ahead from ASPECT’s China studios: