Here is a brand new, vibrant and dynamic Huanshidong Plaza.

It proves to be a successful revitalization of public space, which can be felt from the joyfulness and excitement in children’s faces.

ITDP was invited to join the renovation of Huanshidong Plaza by Guangzhou Urban Planning&Design Survey Research Institute(GZPI). In the past Huanshidong Plaza was cut by the dangerous wide roads and cold lawn, which only left a small pedestrian space to walk and relax. Although located at CBD and surrounded by World Trade Center, Youyi Shopping Center, Baiyun Hotel, Graden Hotel, the core plaza still lacked of attraction and vitality.

Location: Guangzhou Huanshidong Plaza before improvement, Source: ITDP

Location: Guangzhou Huanshidong Plaza before improvement, Source: ITDP

After renovation, the plaza takes on a brand new look, full of happiness and relaxation. Children, the elderly, travelers, shoppers, foreign guests, young parents & baby strollers, are enjoying this safe, comfortable and vibrant public space. Also, the white-collar workers are attracted by the music fountain, and sometimes slow down or stay to enjoy the wonderful moment.

This is the square designed for the people.

Location: Guangzhou Huanshidong Plaza after improvement, Source: ITDP

Location: Guangzhou Huanshidong Plaza after improvement, Source: ITDP

Location: Guangzhou Huanshidong Plaza after improvement, Source: ITDP

Location: Guangzhou Huanshidong Plaza after improvement, Source: ITDP

In fact, the abovementioned project is only a part of Guangzhou “human-oriented” street improvement. In order to improve the image and quality of the whole city and finally become a global metropolis, the government took the lead in the construction of 11 human-oriented demonstration roads, and compiled Guangzhou Street Design Manual. Also, the government advanced to implement human-oriented improvement of 75 roads in the core urban area, and actively promoted public engagement in the construction of a better Guangzhou.

11 human-oriented demonstration roads

In May 2016, the Guangzhou Housing and Urban-Rural Construction Committee(GHUCC) initiated the “One District One Demonstration Road” -11 human-oriented demonstration roads in the city mainly by micro-renovation and fine-management instead of demolition and reconstruction, which had been completed by the end of 2016. The core concept of this project is to reconsider people's needs as an important orientation in road design with consideration of the convenience and comfort of walking and cycling system to achieve the transition from a traffic road to a life space.

Location: Guangzhou 11 demonstration road, Source: Gzphotos

Best practice:Yuexiu District · Yanjiang Road human-oriented demonstration road improvement

ITDP was invited to participate in Guangzhou “One River, three belts” project-Yanjiang Road human-oriented demonstration road improvement which was completed by the end of 2016. The improvement is located along the Pearl River in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou with a total length of 2.1 kilometers. Focusing on the transformation of urban planning and design concept from "car-oriented" to "human-oriented", this improvement is implemented through humanized measures such as compressing motor vehicle lane, small turning radius, extension of sidewalk, continuous bicycle lane and opening enclosed green space. In this way, more road space will be returned to pedestrians and non-vehicles and the traffic mode will be optimized to realize the sustainable development of urban transportation.

Location: Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Small Turning Radius – Minimizing the turning radius of curbs from 12m to 5m at the intersection of Yanjiang Road and Xindierheng Road to reduce the vehicle turning speed, narrow the intersection, increase the pedestrian crossing waiting area, reduce pedestrian crossing distance from 17m to 10m with a decrease of 41% and the exposure on the motor vehicle lane to protect pedestrian safety.

Location: Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Small Turning Radius - Compressing the motor vehicle lane at the intersection of Jiangxi Road and Haizhusouth Road, reducing the turning radius of curbs to increase the pedestrian crossing waiting area, reduce the pedestrian crossing distance from 14m to 8m with a decrease of 42% and improving bicycle crossing pavement to protect pedestrians and bicycles across the street safety.

Location: Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Best practice: Kai Tai Avenue human-oriented demonstration road improvement Adhere to the principle of “putting people first”, Guangzhou Huanpu District selected Kaitai Avenue as a demonstration road to create a convenient, intelligent, green and vitality public space, greatly improve the overall image of the region of the city.

Location: Kaitai Avenue, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Location: Kaitai Avenue, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Location: Kaitai Avenue, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Guangzhou Street Design Manual

As “One District One Demonstration Road” is a pioneer of Guangzhou street design innovation, GHUCC combined practical experience with human-oriented concept to compile Guangzhou Street Design Manual, and officially released the manual on August 30, 2017 to the media. ITDP also participated in the documentation of the manual.

The manual focuses on the core value of the street: putting people first, establishing the core idea of transforming from "urban road" to "urban space" which includes the conceptual transformation from "car-oriented" to "people-oriented" , the methodological transformation from "controlling the red line" to "controlling the space", and the technological transformation from "fault type" to "integrated type". The Manual summarizes the 6 major systems and 80 road elements of urban road, establishes a integrated system of street design in order to guide the construction of livable, sustainable streets in Guangzhou.

The release of Guangzhou Street Design Manual, Source: China Visual

The release of Guangzhou Street Design Manual, Source: Guangdong Construction Daily

Human-oriented improvement in Guangzhou's core urban area

In the context of the China’s National City Strategy Conference, the "13th Five-Year Plan" of Guangzhou, the development strategy of "One River and Three Belts", the launch of "Guangzhou Street Design Manual" and Guangzhou Fortune Global Forum in December 2017 have accelerated the human-oriented design and quality improvement of Guangzhou's core urban area to create a novel image of Guangzhou.

The improvements were based on the third batch of promotion work of the "Guangzhou City Environment Improvement Program Work Plan for 2017" and completed on October 10, 2017. The improvements include sidewalk pavements, accessibility facilities & blind tracks, bollards, the integration of setback space and other sidewalk reconstruction; small turning radius of the intersection, intersection canalization to ease congestion, road cross-section transformation and other vehicle lane reconstruction; integration of poles, brands and facilities boxes, upgrading of traffic signs and markings, decorative covers and other public facilities renovation.

Craftsman spirit – High quality streets for 100 years

Location: Zhujiang New Town, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Location: TaiKoo Hui, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Location: Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Location: Xi Di, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Accessible sponge flyover - long slopes and continuous blind tracks access for all, consisting of elderly, kids, luggage, vans, wheelchairs, strollers, and visually impaired people.

Location: Tianhe Road, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Accessible sponge flyover - "sponge" material, 10 seconds "quick dry"

Bollards are set to avoid illegal occupation of vehicles in sidewalk, and the design features decorate the environment

Location: Yanjiang Road, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Raised crossing – pedestrians can cross the street "as flat", raising the road level and the colored pavement warn vehicles to slow down for safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

Location: Ersha Island, Guangzhou, Source: ITDP

Public engagement

"CBD Free Talk"

Guangzhou holded public activities like “CBD Free Talk” and “Guangzhou City Art Week” to guide the public to express their mobility needs and challenges, and helps to generate improvement projects that are locally accepatable. “CBD Free Talk” solicited good ideas from the community and invited visually impaired people and foreign friends to walk around to give suggestions for further improvement.

"CBD Free Talk", Source: CBDTIMES

“Guangzhou City Art Week”

In order to build a people-oriented Guangzhou, Guangzhou Public Artists' Association (GPAA) sponsored the launch of the 2017 Guangzhou City Art Week. In response to the current hot and thorny city problems in Guangzhou, the city micro design workshops, urban micro design competitions and community art festivals were holded to actively guide the public participation and build bridges of communication for local governments, elites of various communities and the public to discuss the future of Guangzhou city.

“Guangzhou City Art Week”, Source: Guangzhou Public Artists' Association

To be concluded, everyone is working hard for a better Guangzhou!

Go! Guangzhou!

Source: ITDP, CBDTI MES, Yangcheng Book Club