“A wide stretch of emerald leaves, with a loud splash of pink lotus”, a nod to the quote from Song poet.
Qianhe Xielu, or a vast of lotuses dripping dew, is a sight to behold which blows minds of our field trip team, hence the idea for the Tongzhou-Tianjin Canal Bridge, at 360+ meter set in the heart of Tongzhou District, Beijing”s sub-center. The brainchild is expected to be the very incarnation of locality features.
In practice, it is the link between historic relics on its west bank and urban parts on the east. With Lotus as the motif, the creative is culturally a tribute to the Han-dynasty ballad “a strip of lush lotus leaves”, a relevance to the riverland. Also, complete with dew (lu), the construct makes a delight, reminiscent of “fall wind (herein lotus) and jade dew make a match” by Northern Song poet Qin Guan (1049–110). Moreover, an undulating footpath is crafted to fit into its observation deck, effortlessly mimicking the silhouette of lotus leavers. Vividly vibrant, the Bridge emanates a ton of artistry, echoing back in time to the ambience, “Trail wildflower in bloom for a hike back (herein the bridge)”, plucked from the Foreword to Trio of Trail Wildflower by Qin’s contemporary, guru Su Shi (1037–1101).
Made of special-shaped components, the Bridge framework offers a well-knit network of 3-layer viewing paths. Strategically “Eco-friendly” at the core, the creation allows a sweeping rippling effect for the landscape of “Civic-, Canal-, and Traffic-bridge Harmony”. Threefold Accord, or 3 Friendlys, is a top priority for our environmental art layout.
IAI Gold Award
Shi chenyu
China
