LOCATION: Yunyang,Chongqing
AREA: 4.4hm2
DATE OF COMPLETION: 2016

1. Background
Yunyang County town is located on the bank of Three Gorges Reservoir, the largest water conservancy project in the world. As the old county seat has been submerged under the reservoir, the new county town began to be built on the present site from 1992. With the urbanization process, it has owned a population of more than 200,000 today.

According to the urban general plan, some parks have been built along the waterfront area of Yunyang. Since many riverside area has been occupied by residential areas, hotels, wharves, warehouses and etc., the parks were failed to be connected. Moreover, these parks, more than 20-year-old, are no longer satisfactory neither aesthetically nor functionally, with inappropriate previous design and outdated facilities.

Like other cities on the banks of Three Gorges Reservoir, Yunyang enjoys the unique scenery brought by the reservoir construction on the one hand, but has to tolerate various problems caused by the reservoir on the other. The construction of Three Gorges Reservoir transformed the previously turbulent Yangtze River into a calm belt-lake which mirrors the surrounding mountains, created charming scenery. As the reservoir stores water in winter and discharges in spring and summer, the maximum water level difference reaches 30 meters, forming the largest hydro-fluctuation belt in the world. When the water level drops, large earth slopes or engineering work with the width normally more than 100 meters along the bank would be exposed, not only have negative impact on landscape, but also separate the city from the Yangtze River.

With the hope to transform the landscape of the urban waterfront area, the local government plans to build a coherent urban waterfront greenway and park system by taking advantage of the existing park, wasteland and hillside land, and making rational use of the huge hydro-fluctuation area. Landscape architects made an overall plan for the 33kilometer-long urban waterfront area, put forward a series of strategies aiming at strengthening the connection between the city and the waterfront, improving the quality of waterfront landscape, establishing a coherent slow-traffic system, and providing a variety of social functions to create vibrant urban waterfront open spaces. Afterwards, the specific site under the Yangtze River Bridge and near the center of the city was designed as the launch of the whole project.

2. Existing Condition

The site is located outside the river bank of the largest riverside park in the city, and mostly belongs to the hydro-fluctuation belt. Yangtze River Bridge, the main passageway of Yunyang's external transportation, runs above the site. Having a rugged topography, the site presents different land forms and related acreages with the yearly water level fluctuation of the reservoir, sometimes being a continuous land surface and sometimes separated into several islands and peninsulas.

There exists an extensive gentle slope at the top of the west part of site. Because of the relatively high elevation, it can be exposed above the water surface for relatively longer period every year. Thus, it was partly concreted for simple swimming pool, roller skating field and small plaza, which can be available when the water level drops. Although the facilities are simple and would be submerged in winter, the site didn’t fail to become a popular open space especially for the youths, as Yunyang extremely lacks space for outdoor activities like this.

On the east side, about a 1.4-hectare-area land is located above the highest water level all year round, protruding beyond the river bank as a peninsula. As it lies below the Yangtze River Bridge, the site has long been forgotten and abandoned. Around the peninsula are mostly seasonally submerged slopes, with only the easternmost slope top slightly higher than the highest water level, becoming a small island in the middle of the river during high water level periods.

3. Design strategy

Landscape architect hopes that the site can functionally supplement the old riverside park, by providing better environment, new facilities and more open landscape, and set up closer connection with the Yangtze River. As for the western part, the original function for sports is reserved. By elevating the ground about 1-2 meters, the site elevation is above the highest water level, thus permanent sports and service facilities are available for all-year-round use. A swimming pool and an aquatic playground are designed on one side, creating a water sports center for the city. And the rest part is designed as a large area of beach, allowing activities such as children’s playing, beach football, beach volleyball etc., providing citizens a space for outdoor recreation.

The service buildings provide such functions as locker room, restroom, ticket service, cafeteria, canteen etc., while their roof become the viewing platform with broad vision over the beach and the river. The previous revetment is partly transformed into sitting terraces, which is interspersed with planting areas containing shady trees and evergreen shrubs, become a comfortable space for viewing and rest. Wooden platforms and lounger-like benches on the edge of the beach create a comfortable and cozy atmosphere. The beach not only meets the needs for a popular leisure place, but also recalls the history of Yunyang. Before relocation, with the beach along the riverside, the old county town had tightly related to the Yangtze River. To some extent, the design of the beach could make up for the regret of huge hydro-fluctuation belt in today’s city waterfront.

The peninsula below the Yangtze River Bridge, surrounded by water on three sides and owns a great outward view, is turned into a natural-styled garden. The center of the garden is an open lawn with spring-flowering arbors and autumn-coloring plants in background. A series of platforms are arranged along the waterfront to provide the sight of the lawn inwards and of the river scenery outwards. The topography of the park is gently undulating, with a viewing platform set up on the existing mound, on which people can overlook the park and the Yangtze River, and look up at the magnificent bridge.

A platform is designed on the easternmost island, connected to the peninsula with a curve bridge. The platform surrounded by water, like a barge moored on the river, is an excellent place to experience the landscape of the Yangtze River and meanwhile it provides a unique urban landscape from the river.

During the high water level period, the beach and the garden are separated by water, while during the low water level period, the two areas would connect together. To make full use of the hydro-fluctuation zone, a path and two platforms are designed in the zone. When the water level drops, people can get closer to the river by walking through the path, take a rest and enjoy the scenery on the platform.  A small lagoon is designed based on the original topography, so as to retain some water area near the river bank in low water level periods, would enrich the landscape experience on the riverside. With the water level drops in spring and summer, some native herbs could spontaneously germinate on the bare surface of the hydro-fluctuation zone. Landscape architects believe that to preserve this natural process is the best choice for such special area. Therefore, the existing topography was preserved as much as possible in the hydro-fluctuation zone, ecological and landscape measures were only conducted in the constructed areas to reinforce the revetment.

4. Conclusion.
Through the full use of the hydro-fluctuation belt and wasteland in the waterfront area of a reservoir-side city, Yunyang Beach and Water Garden create new public spaces, offer popular activities and facilities for the citizens. Adapting to the change of reservoir water level, the design presents resilient landscapes and offers resilient functions. It recreates the relationship between the city and the Yangtze River, provides a sample for the waterfront green belt of Yunyang, and also offers a reference for other cities along Three Gorges Reservoir who intends to deal with the hydro-fluctuation belt.