Renewing a waterfront heritage district

Adjacent to the new Baietan Central Business District—part of a larger SOM-designed master plan—Julong Bay has a long history as a center for agriculture and industry. The area was known for its flower nurseries dating back to the ninth century, and later became a shipping and manufacturing zone along the back channel of the Pearl River. Today, the area has become a focus for economic revitalization in West Guangzhou.

The project envisions a world-class cultural and commercial district—a destination that provides opportunities for culture, leisure, tech innovation and living. SOM’s urban design builds upon the area’s industrial and commercial heritage to create a vibrant and sustainable community, anchored by its history and sense of place.

Building cohesive communities

The site includes buildings that represent centuries of history: the Julong Village, clusters of factories built from the 1880s to the 1950s, the German church, and bridges and canals. Instead of preserving these heritage assets in isolation, our plan links them together with a meandering central park. The historic buildings, adapted for new roles and various uses, will become an integral part of the new neighborhood that is taking shape. Connections to the city’s existing bicycle and pedestrian greenway network will help to transform this formerly private waterfront district into an accessible public amenity.

We have designed the center of the site as a mid-rise urban zone, where the scale of new development will harmonize with the historic village and factory buildings. Workspaces constructed here will provide large and flexible floor plates, creating the ideal conditions for innovative businesses to grow. Higher-density zones are located towards the north and the south of the site, where taller buildings will maximize views to the Pearl River and create a new skyline for the district.

The historic Julong village will be preserved and converted into a cultural destination, while a new residential community will be created along the Sha Canal and central park. The new neighborhoods are close to the historic plaza and ancestral halls—creating a link between past and present—and within a five-minute walk to new community amenities. Along the river, old factories will be adapted as exhibition halls and arts spaces.

Promoting health and wellness through design

Prioritizing the pedestrian experience, the project creates a walkable and interconnected district. Streets, alleyways, trails, and bicycle routes promote an active lifestyle. 

Because this area is divided by a wide arterial road, we designed an elevated park to link the two sides of the district back together. This piece of infrastructure incorporates planting and seating, with direct access to buildings and the metro system. Below-grade pedestrian routes provide sheltered connections to the metro station.

Throughout the district, we have incorporated blue-green infrastructure, a nature-based approach for managing stormwater and improving flood resilience. Guidelines for the architecture are inspired by the local architectural style of Lingnan, which uses passive design strategies and local and renewable materials to reduce whole-life carbon emissions.