"Xiake" trail - a window into Jiangyin
Environment
Jiangyin has become a city of economic prosperity and community cohesion. An agricultural and shipyard center, Jiangyin now thrives on a diverse manufacturing economy and an information services economy. Economic development has galvanized Jiangyin's vitality, as evidenced by the improvement in the quality of life of its people and its cultural achievements.
Jiangyin can take full advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented by the development of the Bund to gain a foothold on the world map. The Yangtze River is one of the world's great rivers, along with the Seine, the Thames, the Danube, the Nile and the Mississippi, and attracts millions of travelers every year. The development of the "Bund" has the potential to become a major cultural, entertainment and community center. For example, the city of Bilbao is already a worldwide tourist destination thanks to the Guggenheim Museum. We aim to design a culturally representative Jiangyin Riverfront "Xiake" Trail comparable to New York's Center Park, San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, and Paris' Jardin des Tuileries (next to the Palace of Versailles). The development of the "Bund" will be a "window to Jiangyin" showing the prosperous life of the city. This center of culture and life will contribute to the prosperity of the local economy and improve the living standards of the people of Jiangyin through the development of tourism.
Jiangsu Province Jiangyin City is located in East China, on the south bank of the Yangtze River. Jiangyin, "the yin side of the river," derives from its relationship with the Yangtze. This relationship has become a major factor in the development of the city of Jiangyin, so the two are inextricably linked. With the redefinition of the city, we propose to increase the role of the river in the life of the city. The port of Jiangyin, as an "A" class port, has the capacity to carry large quantities of goods and services. The port also has the potential to welcome a large number of tourists
Identities on the river such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Sydney Opera House on the waterfront not only provide centers of cultural activity, but also serve as identifiers and features of the city. Attractions such as the Jiangyin Yangtze River Bridge and Sightseeing Tower can already place Jiangyin among world-class cities. We propose to enrich this by connecting Gooseberry Park with Chive Harbor Road. Our goal is to create a visual impact that will not only attract tourists from all over the world, but also make the people of Jiangyin proud. Starting from the foot of Gooseberry Mouth Park and ending at Chives Harbor, we envision a rich park-like structure. In addition to the already existing Jiangyin Yangtze River Bridge and the observation tower, four elements will tell the story of Jiangyin's rich history, present development, and broad future: the History and Culture Node, the Infotainment Node, the People's Square, and the Riverfront Park.
Historical and Cultural Center
The first component of the Xiake Trail is the Historical and Cultural Center, which will extend the cultural activities of the people in Gooseberry Park. The design includes a world-class maritime museum with exhibits ranging from ancient sailing ships to modern high-tech vessels, as well as travel history and artifacts. Under a massive glass dome, this museum will feature actual famous ships from history. The dome is a reminder of times at sea and echoes the Gooseberry Hill (Figure 6). Built on a hill, the museum will allow people to walk down the hill to the banks of the Yangtze River, evoking memories of the "Bund" as a shipyard. The elliptical dome is like the bow of a new ship waiting to be launched, looking forward to its first voyage.
The aquarium is connected to the museum by a pedestrian bridge, where visitors can view the marvelous world of the sea and learn about the ecology of the Yangtze River. We expect the aquarium to partner with nearby universities in marine biology research to help improve the overall health of the Yangtze River. By connecting the museum and the aquarium, we hope that society will become aware of the impact humans have on nature, and also demonstrate the achievements of humans in utilizing nature. The Meditation Court, which surrounds the museum and aquarium, empowers the people with a space for meditation. Visitors and local residents relax here and consider life. In the Meditation Garden, people walk in close proximity to the paths that lead to the river and the flowers that bloom along the paths. In the center, on the grassy area sloping down to the river, people lie or lean back and watch music, drama, and martial arts performances on a central stage. There are also puppet shows for children and other cultural performances.
The centerpiece of the Meditation Garden is a remodeled original pier that will house replicas of old ships or historically significant decommissioned battleships, in harmony with the Maritime Museum.
The second component of the Technology Casino's "Xako" trail is located on the west side of the Bund. This will be an infotainment center showcasing modern media, communications and entertainment. A wide welcoming plaza greets visitors. A gateway arch marks the entrance to the Techno Casino. The infotainment center is separated by a boulevard with lounge chairs and water features, ending at the Yangtze River.
On the street, people gather to watch street performances, acrobatics and magic shows. Visitors can listen to popular music and enjoy life with friends and family in a festive atmosphere. People can also take a stroll along Entertainment Street to browse the surrounding scenery or view the Yangtze River Bridge and other attractions of the "Bund" from the observation deck at the end of the street. In the afternoon, visitors can sit in lounge chairs and watch passersby while others take a relaxing stroll.
The "Colosseum" style multi-screen movie theater on the north side of the promenade runs along the river, resembling a ship moored on the shore. A large lobby and lounge area connects the screening rooms, and a cafeteria serves a wide variety of food from around the world. The movie corridors between the screening rooms will showcase the latest games and electronics on the market to attract the public. Across the street from the theater is a glass-domed, multi-level shopping plaza featuring a variety of products including music, books and entertainment. The upper level of the plaza gives people who love nightlife something to do. Visitors can watch live music performances or dance all night and sing their favorite songs at the karaoke bar.
On the east side of InfoCity Casino is another park connected to People's Square. The park's woods are open for people to play and picnic.
Riverfront Park
Riverfront Park will be the element of the "Xiake" trail that connects Goosebite Park and Chives Harbor, as well as connecting the residential area to the Yangtze River using trees and water. The park provides entrances to the various attraction trails and allows people to walk along the river. Visitors in cars can take in the views along the tourist driveway that runs alongside the park before parking in one of the three node parking lots.
Electric carts will provide transportation from the harbor or city bus**** lines to various attractions along the river, including from the observation tower to the leek harbor. The park will also help people remember the forgotten nature that flies by in modern city life. Times change and the park reflects all aspects of life. We hope that the park will add to the "harmony and unity of people and land" in Jiangyin City. People's Square
The centerpiece of the "Xiake" trail is People's Square. This plaza will use Shad Harbor Road as an axis to connect the "Bund" with downtown Jiangyin. This axis will run through People's Square, culminating in a new trestle bridge, the "Rainbow Bridge".
The Rainbow Bridge will be flanked by decorative colorful lampposts that will resemble rainbows across the Yangtze River. These colorful lampposts will symbolically illuminate the "Yin side of the river" - Jiangyin - and are a sign of the interplay between the Yangtze River and Jiangyin. The colorful lampposts act as signals or lighthouses and become an important symbol of Jiangyin along the Yangtze River. The musical fountains located on both sides of the Hongqiao Bridge utilize the Yangtze River as their water source, and can change with the rhythm of the music, which can be viewed from the square. The fountains express the joy and beauty of flowing water.
The highlight of People's Square is the two tensile membrane structures located in the water pool - "Sail Shadow Terrace", "Sail Shadow Terrace" was built in the middle of the raised green space. The form of the membrane is similar to the structure of the Yangtze River Bridge, and is reminiscent of the sails of ancient sailing ships on the river. The two buildings function as large restaurants where people can have family dinners, weddings, or celebrate other events. The symbolic raising of the "Shadow of the Sail" platform for these structures is intended to elevate the importance of the Yangtze River to the past and future development of Jiangyin, as well as to signify the importance of "Food is the God of the people" in Chinese life. While dining, visitors can enjoy the river view, colorful lampposts and musical fountains. After the meal, families can relax with a walk in the square, have a dessert in the café, buy a gift or attend a party.
West of the People's Square node, through the gardens adjacent to the square, is a restaurant on the water. Visitors can also board a cruise ship at the piers east of the community center for a tour along the river or a party. The piers will also be a destination for tourists who come ashore from the hundreds of cruise ships that travel the Yangtze every day.
These tourists will be able to move around the various attractions along the "Xiake" trail, or go to the Tourist Information Center to get information about visiting Jiangyin, its shopping, restaurants and other famous attractions. People's Square will truly be the "mirror" of Jiangyin, not only attracting tourists to visit Jiangyin, but also to enjoy all the opportunities it has to offer.