Environmental economy

Jingjin New Economic City

Tianjin, China

The Jingjin New Economic City will provide a home for 300,000 people in the municipality of Tianjin City. Buro Happold, in partnership with SOM architects, prepared both the masterplan for this vision and the detailed economic strategy to support it.

Jingjin New Economic City will be home to 300,000 residents

We identified the risk of contaminated water from the Chaobai river, and mitigated it through the use of engineered wetlands

Our work produced a sustainable ten year masterplan for the new city

Challenge

As well as ensuring that Jingjin enjoyed strong economic links with both Tianjin and Beijing, our client wanted to establish a sustainable industrial base within the city itself. The focus was on identifying technologically advanced, high value industries that would generate good levels of employment and be internationally competitive. In addition, we needed to carefully study the site itself to make sure it was capable of supporting the population of the new city.

Solution

Our team carried out extensive research and analysis to identify and assess the viability of various industry sectors to support the city’s economy. In particular, we closely examined the possibilities of water based industries, given the large volumes of water present on the site and the existing role of aquaculture and other water activities in the region. We also undertook significant work to determine a viable land use pattern, as well as detailed modelling for the provision of transport, infrastructure, utilities and masterplan engineering.

In the course of our work, we identified that the poor quality of water from the Chaobai River posed a real risk of compromising public access to water within the new city. To address this, our team developed a water circulation strategy that included engineered wetlands for the bioremediation of the river water. As well as being a natural source of water treatment, these new wetland areas would increase the provision of ecological habitat, and create more leisure and recreational space within the development.

Value

By identifying possible occupiers and investors, and addressing significant ecological issues, Buro Happold played a major role in the economic, social and infrastructural development of one of China’s most exciting and sustainable new city projects.