Ningbo Songlan Mountain Coastal Boardwalk

Project Profile

The project is located in the Songlanshan Scenic Area of Xiangshan County, Ningbo City. It is a coastal sightseeing boardwalk designed to enhance the visitor experience. The scenic area features multiple beaches, which attract large crowds during the summer months for swimming and recreation. Previously, the beaches were connected only by a municipal road for vehicles, offering a poor pedestrian experience. Moreover, the rocky shoreline, which offers the best scenic viewpoints, was largely inaccessible.

This boardwalk was designed to link the coastal landscape, creating a continuous and scenic pedestrian route. The design goal was to enrich the walking experience within the scenic area, allowing the various beaches and attractions to connect and respond to one another, ultimately forming a beautiful and cohesive landscape corridor.

Given the coastal setting, the area is subject to strong tidal forces and high salinity, which limit the growth of vegetation. The design aimed to minimize disturbance to the natural rock formations, which are considered a valuable natural resource.

Taking advantage of the existing topography, the boardwalk route was chosen to follow relatively gentle and buildable terrain, connecting the beaches while incorporating different spatial experiences according to the site's elevation. Many sections of the boardwalk are elevated to both minimize impact on the rocks and to provide visitors with elevated viewing opportunities.

Along the 3.1-kilometer route, service and leisure facilities were thoughtfully integrated. These include multiple rest platforms, benches, pergolas, entrance plazas, car and bicycle parking areas. At key scenic nodes, particularly near the beaches, service buildings were added to offer places for visitors to rest and enjoy the views.

Due to the high salinity in the area, corrosion-resistant materials were chosen to withstand the harsh marine environment and prevent damage to infrastructure. Aside from the natural greens of the vegetation and the yellows of the rocks, the overall color palette of the site was relatively muted. Therefore, the boardwalk design incorporates striking red railings and a light yellow permeable concrete surface. The permeable concrete also helps resolve issues of water accumulation during rainy weather.

This project has added a vibrant new landscape feature to the entire scenic area, significantly enhancing its overall quality. It has also diversified the recreational offerings—from previously only swimming on the beach to now enjoying a rich and immersive coastal viewing experience—making the area even more attractive to visitors.