City Scale
Nanjing Qinhuai District Sponge City Planning (2020)
Served as capital of ten kingdoms, dynasties, and republic, the city of Nanjing witnesses drastic upheavals along the history and rapid urbanization over last decades.
Unfortunately, many ponds (in dark green) in the city disappeared due to campaigns and urbanization after 1950s.
North part of Qinhuai District (1910)
North part of Qinhuai District (2020)
Type Research project
Area 49 ha
Location Qinhuai District, Nanjing City, China
Partners AchterboschZantman International (AZI),
Deltares,
LOLA Landscape Architects (LOLA),
Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute (NHRI).
Qinhuai District is located in the south of Nanjing downtown, with palace heritages clustered in northwest and old canal networks interweaved in urban landscape. Less densified areas are mostly in south and east of Qinhuai.
The objective of the project is to deliver a Sponge City sector plan for Qinhuai District, through which sponge interventions are deployed to contribute to solving water quantity and quality issues, meanwhile, to obtain co-benefits such as mitigation of urban heat island, renovation of water culture, etc.
The project was intimately designed by four parties, facilitated by tools of hydrologic modeling (UWBM), hydro-dynamic modeling (InfoworksICM), and planning support system (CRCT).
The multi-functionality of sponge measures that was targeted in the planning, including co-benefits of safety, ecology, recreation, and mitigation of urban heat island. From the perspective of planning process, the project demonstrates a good collaboration amongst various disciplines, i.e, landscape, water management, urban planning, through the proposed planning procedure. Content like planning principles, site assessment, sponge measure selection, etc., were closely discussed and determined by design teams, during which local authorities were consulted to make adjustments.
The design road map
After jointly determining planning principles with landscape architects, hydrological modelling was employed to calculate how much sponge capacities are required for the area. Based on spatial analysis and sponge function objectives, the regional structure plan was made.
It should be noted that for different urban topologies, the applicability of sponge intervention and corresponding responsible authorities are different. It calls for a participatory design process involving relevant stakeholders.
The required storage capacity and discharge capacity for 9 sub-zones in Qinhuai District
