Nestled on the banks of the Nanming River, in the heart of Guizhou province, Guiyang is a vibrant metropolis poised to play a significant role in the rapid development of inland China. The Nanming Riverfront Culture Central Business District Master Plan leverages this potential and provides a path forward for Guiyang based on renewal of its historic urban core, a 440-hectare district along the banks of the Nanming River, to create a bold new identity that positions Guiyang as the gateway to Western China.

A comprehensive strategy for the Nanming CBD will guide the transformation of this site in a way that adds valuable density and establishes a flexible framework for sustainable growth. 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. The plan celebrates Guiyang’s diverse culture and inherent features, and advocates for extensive networks of natural and manmade open spaces, allowing landscape to become the primary driver of city form in 54 hectares of new parks. It focuses infrastructure investment on transit, and plans for adjacent development at densities far exceeding common practice—including up to 12 million square meters of new floor area. Appropriate mixes of different uses are encouraged to ensure that the Nanming Culture CBD is active 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Every scale of development has been approached through the lens of sustainability and resiliency, including the provision of district-level renewable energy, water reduction, high performance landscapes, and transportation networks designed to reduce carbon impact by up to 40 percent. The plan can become a model for Western Chinese cities to implement the government imperative to develop China’s vast inland areas, and to do so in a manner that is responsible to both the heritage and future of the country.