Maluan Bay Wetlands Park

Architecture Firm:
Belt Collins
Completion Date:
February 2007
Project Format (not yet built / built):
Not yet built
Project Size (sf / site acreage):
16,291,400 sf
Project Location:
Xiamen, Fujian Province, China
Budget ($/sq Ft, optional):
Approx. US$10,000,000
Site Plan - Wetland Park Use Zones. This exhibit shows the active recreational and passive research zones of the park.Site Plan Overlay - Wetland Habitat Zones. This exhibit shows the wetland habitat areas.Site Plan Overlay - Wetland Park Grading Plan. This exhibit shows the grade levels required to create the wetland habitat areas.Site Plan Overlay - Hydrologic Concepts. The hydrology of the Park was modeled according to varying tidal and stream flow conditions to confirm that water turnover rates and velocities would be acceptable.Detail concept plan of iconic islands to be created in Maluan Bay adjacent to the main community entry.Detail concept plan of tide influenced Brackish Water and Freshwater Wetland Areas at stream.Detail concept plan of active recreational fringe area and an island planted in native Mangroves.Detail concept plan of active recreational fringe area and cultural displays on islands.Detail concept plan of Mangrove and Cultural Display Islands. Zig zag bridge leads to traditional Chinese pavilion.Concept plan and elevations of traditional Chinese Garden Pavilion.Perspective rendering of Wetland Park.
Landscape Designer:
Belt Collins Hawaii Ltd.
Structural Engineer:
Xiamen Architectural Design Institute
Electrical Engineer:
Xiamen Architectural Design Institute
Civil Engineer:
Belt Collins Hawaii Ltd.
Other:
James Berdach, Biologist
Owner:
Xiamen Gulf Investment Co. Ltd.
Sustainable Sites:
The Maluan Bay Wetlands Park is designed to be re-established as a water-based ecological area, one similar to those that existed in the area prior to completion of the Maluan Bay Dam in 1960. Currently, the site is a degraded agricultural area, prone to flooding. When completed, the project will be the focal point of a new community planned to absorb future long term growth in the Xiamen region. The site itself was completely reconfigured by the Government from its natural state prior to the dam being constructed. The resulting lack of drainage has created polluted conditions which will be partially mitigated by the Wetland Park. As a result, deep basins will be created where the streams enter the site to allow the water-born silt to settle. Clean, useful soils existing on-site that can be used for park construction will be stripped and stockpiled for use. Polluted soils will be identified and removed, or buried, in an acceptable manner.
Toward Zero Energy:
The project reduces fossil fuels consumption and creates on-site energy through these methods: • The use of native plants and multi-species stands will result in minimal maintenance and irrigation, and resulting economies in energy consumption over time. • The use of pesticides and herbicides, which require large amounts of energy to manufacture and transport will not be required. • All hydraulic water movement on site will powered by the tides and by stream flows; no pumping will be required. • Photovoltaics will be used to power restroom and pathway lighting.
Local and Sustainable Materials:
The plant palette has been designed with natives and adapted species to require as little ongoing maintenance as possible. Multi-species stands will be used to allow the plants that are best suited to thrive in particular micro-climates and to reduce the vulnerability of the landscape to plant diseases and insect pests. Mangrove propagation and culture research from the University in Xiamen City was used to fine tune the plant palette. In addition, the following are some of the major strategies to keep the work local and sustainable: • Native plants will be used wherever possible. • An on-site nursery will be established to propagate the native Mangrove trees needed for the work, reducing energy costs to transport the trees. • Polluted soils will be used to raise grades under the wetlands park, eliminating the need to dispose of them in landfills. • A composting facility has been included in the program to allow for the composting and use of waste vegetation. • Decks and boardwalks will be made from recycled plastics. • Revetments, levees, and slope protection will be constructed with boulders excavated from the site. • Choices of materials and detailing have been kept very simple; board formed concrete, recycled plastics, gravel pathways. • Buildings will be constructed where possible of the indigenous red clay brick that is an important local building material and available from local sources.
Sustainable Water:
The streams that run through the site are subjected to extreme storm flows during typhoons and carry a heavy pollution/siltation load. The project will promote water conservation measures by harnessing existing tidal flows and accommodating stream flows in the hydraulic design. As much as 20,000 CFS will be carried through the wetlands park without threat to public safety. The South China Sea tides range as much as 4 meters from low to high during the year, providing an opportunity for robust flushing and water circulation within the Wetland Park. The site is very low in relation to the tide levels and some of it must be raised, partly by burying and capping polluted soils. A series of levees will be created at varying water level elevations, to provide the controlled inundation conditions needed for wetland plants, birds, fishes and animals. The project also promotes water quality by: • Filtering polluted stream run-off waters through stands of wetland vegetation prior to entry into the ocean. • Settling basins will allow silts to settle out prior to entering the park.
IEQ and Comfort:
The open expanses of water and green vegetation in the park will provide visual relief from surrounding mid and high rise residential development.
Collective Wisdom and Feedback:
Constructed wetlands have been used to treat polluted water and waste water for many years. We have drawn on the success of many of these projects to adapt that concept to the unique circumstances of this site and the goals of the master planned community developer.
Social Equity:
The project will enhance the quality of life for the residents of the new City by creating an oasis in the center of a densely developed urban area. The park will be accessible to City residents along its edges, offering opportunities to interact with nature. With its location adjacent to a major regional highway, the park will serve as an icon for the new City.
Regional/Community Design:
The project will serve as an important educational and recreational resource for the community, as well as mitigate flooding and hazardous waste issues. The site recreates wetland environments that have been lost and will provide a way to study how those wetlands establish and evolve over time. The wetlands park, located in the center of the city, promotes sustainability and environmental responsibility as key planning concepts. The park will be an educational and recreational resource for the entire region.