China – Global design firm Sasaki’s latest project has transformed a former airport runway into a linear urban park.
Built on the site of the former Shanghai Longhua Airport, the Xuhui Runway Park is 1,830m long, and takes design cues from the historic location, incorporating the original direction markings pilots would follow during landing and take-off. Other features of the park include designated pedestrian and cycle paths and divisions of smaller gardens for those who want to linger and enjoy the surroundings. Integrating circular measures, the park is designed to harvest rainwater to power its fountains and water the greenery.
By purposefully designing the Xuhui Runway Park to neighbour an adjacent urban development, Dou Zhang, senior associate director of Sasaki Shanghai, hopes that it will be 'a space of recreation for nearby communities as well as a respite from the high-density redevelopment around.'
Prioritising urban wellbeing, the park signifies how – as citizens embrace more sustainable modes of living – the design of our built environment and infrastructure will align. For more, explore Consumption Redesigned in our macrotrend, Post-growth Society.