Guangming Dadingling Mountain Forest Greenway: Bridging City and Canopy

Guangming Mountain Forest Greenway, an underutilized regional trail system, was transformed into a sought-after destination through the creation of dynamic, site specific design interventions. Bespoke structures that reflect the distinct environmental qualities of three individual sites transformed each into an experience-scape that combines nature and human expression to enhance and bring visibility to the character of place. Structures respond to their environment by collecting and using sunlight, protecting existing habitat and leveraging ecological processes. Environmental qualities of each environment guided technology and material selections to enhance the sense of place and enliven nature focused experiences.

With Shenzhen’s rapid expansion investment in promoting local tourism as a means to stimulate economic growth in agrarian communities has increased. In nearby Guangming, a coalition of government, stakeholders, landscape architects and structural engineers joined to create a series of signature landscape interventions within the 8.3 kilometer Guangming Mountain Forest Greenway. The result is an ensemble of iconic structures that attract contemporary nature lovers and bring new vitality to the region. The greenway is a pilot project of a larger master plan effort led by the landscape architect that evaluated ways to enhance a sense of locale by leveraging agriculture, village culture, lake and the surrounding mountains to create destination and value. The ‘bridges’, heavily publicized locally and internationally, have succeeded in achieving this and expansion plans for other improvements have been approved.

OVERLOOKS AND BRIDGES

The design reveals previously hidden landscapes by introducing three dramatic structures at environmentally unique clearings along the trail. These clearing include an opening in the forest with distant views, a pocket near a pond that is surrounded by dense vegetation and a deep, wind-swept valley that lies between twin knolls. These ‘bridges’, designed by the landscape architect in collaboration with the engineer, bring visibility to the mountain landscape and offer dramatic spatial experiences while showcasing innovative technology. Preserving each sites ecology by designing with a light touch and creating exquisite objects with details reflective of nature’s intricacies were primary project goals.

FLOATING BRIDGE is composed of articulated rings that through imaginative engineering seem to magically levitate above the tropical valley below. The layered circular forms lead to 360° views of the surrounding forest canopy, a nearby lake and distant urban skyline. At night energy collected through solar panel decking creates glowing halos that float above the forest floor. The layered movement of people between the rings animates the experience.

DISCOVERY BRIDGE is a place to chill. More introspective than the Floating Bridge it’s located in an isolated vegetated pocket next to a pond. A platform composed of a suspended net structure protects ground level habitat below while visitors above relax, enjoy friends, nature and solitude. A gangplank extends above a woodland pond for birdwatching.

WIND SONG BRIDGE, drapes across a valley uninterrupted on two flexible steel straps that span its length. It appears to defy gravity and sways gently underfoot during passage. This motion coupled with the breeze that funnels through the valley dramatizes the act of crossing. Weightlessness and a sense of floating was essential to the experience and guided the landscape architect and engineers in the selection of the technologically advanced strap structure – a light touch with a big impact.

Based on overwhelmingly favorable public response and government endorsement, funding for the trail’s further expansion will bring further visibility and investment to the area, showcasing the greenway’s balance between environmental sensitivity and cultural landmarks for the Guangming region.

• Bureau public works of Shenzhen (Guangming) municipality park management and maintenance, For project review and approval
• EPC party two, project general contractor, local design code review, construction documentation, ECP project administration, design review
• Schlaich Bergermann Partner, Project Structural Engineer
• OCT Guangming (Shenzhen) Investment Co., Ltd, Client
• Shenzhen Guangming District Municipal Government, Project owner

• Undulating bench costume product designed by landscape architect — Furniture
• Linear bench costume product designed by landscape architect — Furniture
• Wood fence costume product designed by landscape architect — Fences/Gates/Walls
• Overlook metal grate decking costume product designed by landscape architect — Lumber/Decking/Edging
• Bridge metal grate decking costume product designed by landscape architect — Lumber/Decking/Edging
• Modular pavilions costume designed by landscape architect — Parks/Recreation Equipment
• Public restroom costume designed by landscape architect — Parks/Recreation Equipment
• Bird house costume designed by landscape architect — Parks/Recreation Equipment
• Custom-designed nest boxes — Parks/Recreation Equipment
• China Structure Engineering Construction Corporation Third Bureau — Structures
• China Structure Engineering Construction Corporation Third Bureau — Hardscape
• Light fixture: Donguan Zhaochi lighting Manufactory — Lighting
• Battery (For storage solar energy): Guangdong Didu New Energy Company — Lighting
• Steel Beam and Steel column: Hunan Jinhai Structure Manufactory — Other
• Material: Hunan Hualing Xiangtian Steel Manufactory; Xinyu Steel Manufactory; Anyang Steel Manufactory — Other
• Stress Ribbon Steel: Baijing Capital Steel Manufactory — Other
• Solar Panel: Guangzhou Tongli New Energy Company — Other
• Steel rod and Nylon rod: Yongjia Play Structure Company — Other