Dali Xiaguan Banks of the Xier River Landscape Planning

Project Profile

1. Project Statement

The project is located on both banks of the Xier River in Xiaguan, Dali, which is the traditional urban center and core functional area of Dali, currently facing unprecedented development opportunities. Based on regional development environment and site resource conditions, the planning starts by clarifying the project's development strategy and goals. It then proceeds with overall planning and implementation of functions, transportation, and land use. Finally, through urban design of key districts and landscape creation along the Xier River, the plan aims to sustain regional cultural characteristics, create high-quality, distinctive spatial places, and achieve the vision of "Beautiful Xier River, Ideal New Xiaguan."

2. Objective and Challenge

Xiaguan Town is under Dali City, Yunnan Province, serving as the political, economic, and transportation center of the Dali Prefecture and City. The project site lies on both banks of the Xier River in the central urban area of Xiaguan, at the outlet of Erhai Lake, forming the traditional urban center and core functional area of Dali. The "Dali Urban Development Master Plan (2010-2025)," approved in 2012, outlines a land use layout structure for the central urban area of Dali with "one main, one secondary, two axes, and four clusters," providing a new development framework for Dali. "One main" refers to the transformation and functional replacement of the old city to construct the main urban center in Xiaguan along the Xier River. This makes it clear that the Xiaguan urban cluster in Dali's central urban area will undoubtedly become a focus of new urban renewal and construction. However, Xiaguan is facing a series of urgent problems such as unbalanced urban district development, lack of prominent urban characteristics and landscape features, serious lag in infrastructure and tourism reception service facilities construction in the old urban areas, low grade of tourism resources, and weak attraction.

In this context, the primary intention of this design is to focus on both banks of the Xier River in Xiaguan, unearth and utilize existing natural and cultural resources, create a new "engine" and "business card" for Dali urban development, and realize the urban functions assigned to the area by upper-level planning such as finance, information, service, consumption center, and comprehensive transportation hub.

3. Design Strategy

Beautiful Xier River, Ideal New Xiaguan

Overall Positioning Level: Based on Dali, looking at the entire macro region, seeking accurate development positioning for both banks of the Xier River in Xiaguan through case studies and market analysis. Subsequently, proposing the development vision of "Beautiful Xier River, Ideal New Xiaguan" and the development positioning of "Dali Urban Cultural Leisure Belt integrating cultural creativity, tourism leisure, modern commerce, business services, high-end residence, and ecological experience."

Overall Concept Planning Level: Based on previous analysis, case studies, and relevant content of upper-level planning, conducting overall planning and implementation for the overall structure, functional zones, and project planning along the riverbanks in Xiaguan. Coordinating and laying out specific projects, various transportation systems, land use, etc., providing a premise for subsequent urban design and controlling detailed planning.

Urban Design Level: Selecting key renovated blocks such as Longweiguan, Daguan Yi, and Huancheng Road along the banks of the Xier River. While respecting and protecting the ecological environment and continuing regional cultural characteristics, enhancing the experience of residents and tourists through the creation of high-quality, distinctive spatial places.

Xier River Landscape Design Level: Dividing the banks of the Xier River into distinctive landscape characteristic zones based on ecological environment strategies, functional layout, and spatial conceptual planning. Creating multiple types of themed landscapes to create different atmospheric environments, constructing continuous, complete, and efficient ecological and recreational corridors.

4. Conclusion

Through the delineation of project development strategies and the urban design of key districts and landscapes along the Xier River, the plan aims to sustain regional cultural characteristics, create high-quality, distinctive spatial places, and achieve the vision of "Beautiful Xier River, Ideal New Xiaguan."