Taiyuan Jinyang Lake

Discipline : Landscape & Territories

Categories : Landscape Architecture / Landscape Architecture - Public Space : Gold Certification

Taiyuan Jinyang Lake Park (TYJL) is a mega 11km2 Forest Park centrally located in the center of the city of Taiyuan, in the province of Shanxi, China. This XL Eco-Park was created with the intention that water would reflect the surrounding mountains, while offering a plethora of landscapes and a multitude of activities to the city’s inhabitants and tourists.

It is destined to cater for the provinces’ needs in terms of nature park, but is also meant to become an international landmark of sustainability and ecotourism. Among the park activities and attractions are educational trails, wildlife observation, fitness, and sports, playgrounds and of course leisure and rest.

Because of its sheer size, TYJL counts several sectors and thematic gardens that were carried in 3 construction phases. So far, 2 phases have been completed, and our designs of the North-South sectors of both Phase 1 and 2 featured themes such as:

• Dream City
• Ecological City
• Memory City
• Nature City

These thematic gardens combine various landscape typologies and concepts such as meadows, wetlands, wooded areas and hillscapes, combining the traditional to the contemporary, and the local to the international.

Dream City sits on the shores of Jinyang Lake where a spectacular sandy beach was created. The hilly and luxuriant landscape enshrines the waterfront and offers breathtaking views towards the lake and mountains and offers an iconic and colorful childrens’ playground. In addition to the slides and climbing ramps, the hilly and undulating terrain provides the perfect natural playground with pools, water games and resting areas. It also features various cultural experiences such as Tea Pavilions where visitors can taste and educate themselves on this thousand-year-old beverage while admiring poetic scenery. The southern shore also harbors a quay that welcomes tour boats to enjoy the park from a different perspective.

Ecological City is a predominantly forested and wooded sector with rolling hills, blooming orchards flower gardens, and observation towers and platforms. A network of boardwalks and trails stretch across the sector, and  are perfectly adapted for sightseeing, walking, and hiking. Among the features of the Eco-City are the Temple Forest that features a restored ancient temple, a bird-watching sanctuary, and a butterfly garden.

Memory City recalls the rich history of the city of Taiyuan. The city’s industrial, commercial, and cultural past is highlighted in themed interpretative pathways across the landscape. With its restored dams, and naturalized water canals, the sector celebrates Nature and Ecology. It is divided in several areas, among which the Meadows and the Wetlands, each offering unique landscapes.

Nature City displays numerous didactic and ludic activities. It allows visitors to learn about local fauna and flora, and meander through two types of water purifying systems: The Natural wetland, and the architectural wetland with its iconic design, and wood bridges linking multiple observation platforms several water cascades, channels, bridges, and dams. Vast meadows and grasslands open to the Wedding pavilions and artistic gardens, and contrast with the enclosed lush vegetation at the perimeter hiding playgrounds with trampolines, the Bird Sanctuary Island, Cafés, Teahouses, and dining and lounging areas displaying one the most splendid view of the park.

The project in images