SOM’s Guiyang Nanming Riverfront Cultural Central Business District Master Plan has won a 2015 AIA Hong Kong Design Merit Award. Created to “increase awareness of outstanding architecture,” the annual awards program honors projects that significantly improve the built environment. Earning the Merit Award in the Unbuilt/Other category, SOM’s Master Plan will be recognized at an official ceremony and exhibition today in Hong Kong.
Located next to the Nanming River in the Guizhou province, the Master Plan helps to create an identity for the vibrant metropolis of Guiyang as the gateway to Western China. This urban conservation project aims to improve the existing infrastructure and quality of living conditions, provide more public areas and parks, and increase access to resources. As part of the 440-hectare district, the CBD includes 54 hectares of new parks, creating manmade open spaces alongside the natural landscape. The mix of uses and the transit infrastructure investment ensure that the district is utilized at all hours. The CBD will have a density of 3.8 Gross FAR (floor area ratio) and plans for adjacent development include up to 12 million square meters of new floor area.