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The consortium of NL Urban Solutions was invited to participate in the international competition for Wei river dredging and the conceptual planning and design of both sides of the river.

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From May to July 2022, the international competition was held by the Government of Gaoling District in Xi’an city and the Xi’an international port area management committee. The consortium consists of NL Urban Solutions, Shenzhen Urban Planning and Design Institute, Shenzhen Beiliyuan Landscape Architectural Planning and Design Institute and Engineering North China Design and Research Institute.

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The project scope has a total length of about 15.5 kilometres and a total area of about 56.3 square kilometres. The assignment includes the design for the river space, northern and southern ecological banks and the urban zones in proximity to Wei river and the Jingwei peninsula.

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The planning area is the ecological backbone and cultural location where the Eight rivers of Xi’an converge, including the national-level Jingwei Wetland and the famous historical landscape of ‘Jing Wei Fenming’. It is also located in the key area of the north-south expansion and urban integration of Xi’an. Wei river is the largest tributary of Yellow river, and the ambition is to improve its ecological conditions and revive the prosperity of the riverside new urban areas.

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The consortiums approach to this assignment is the “Re Weitalization” through 4 strategies:

“Green gathering park” is focused on developing a landscape framework for the future urbanization, ecological measures to increase the habitat diversity and quality, safety measures to manage dredging, the sediment flows and protect the river banks and sponge city measures both in the river space and in the urban areas to manage water collection and discharge.

“Restore Wei river” sets the conditions for urban development within the previously mentioned landscape framework, including desired densities and urban patterns.

“Green fusion” under the structure of One ring, two belts, one line and ten parks, promotes the integration of city, villages and green space, injecting supporting functions and identity to the park system that compliments the living environments in the proximity.

“Innovation extension” aims to connect existing industries with new innovative and ecological industries and organize the urban fabrics to facilitate the exchange and cooperation.

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Some design highlights of this project include the Jingwei Fenming peninsula Botanical garden, the revival of ancient Wei river line, the urban wetland park and the historical art cultural corridor in the southern bank

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