Shanghai has unveiled 10-year blueprints for the upgrading of the Huangpu River and the Suzhou Creek, aiming to transform these iconic waterways into vibrant and diverse urban hubs.

The city's urban planning authorities released the Special Plan to Improve Spatial Quality and Promote Integrated Development of Coastal Areas Along the Huangpu River (2025-2035) and the Special Plan to Improve the Landscape and Open Spaces of Suzhou Creek's Waterfront Regions (2025-2035) on March 10.

Building upon the previous River and Creek initiative, the new plans encompass a 50-kilometer-long waterfront along both sides of the Huangpu River and a 66-kilometer stretch along the Suzhou Creek.

The Huangpu River section extends from Fuxing Island in the south to the greater Wusong area in the north, while the Suzhou Creek upgrade stretches westward to the greater Hongqiao region.

The Huangpu River plan is divided into five themed sections, each with a distinct function: the Yangpu Show Bund, the Grand Halls, the Culture and Innovation Chain, the Art and Intelligence Waterfront, and the Shanghai Style Showcase.

These sections are further divided into three tiers of development, with the innermost tier focusing on creating welcoming public spaces in waterfront areas within 100 to 400 meters of the river, the middle tier prioritizing improved waterfront streetscapes within 500 to 1,000 meters, and the outermost tier directed at surrounding areas within two kilometers of the river.

The Suzhou Creek plan, meanwhile, adopts a "one belt, eight corridors, five sections" approach.  It envisions a single waterfront cultural and economic belt running along the creek, connected via eight north-south urban corridors.

The five themed sections include the metropolitan classic section, fashion and creative section, campus culture section, greenery and livability section, and eco-innovation section.

The plan seeks to achieve its goals through comprehensive waterfront renovations, including the expansion of open spaces, the integration of cultural, sports, and tourism projects, the construction of boat docks, vibrant corridors, service stations, bridges, cycling paths, and viewing platforms, and the creation of themed tours.

While inspired by successful waterfront transformations in cities like London and New York, Shanghai's River and Creek initiative has evolved from borrowing best practices to forging its own unique path.

"The River and Creek initiative has shifted from innovation based on existing examples to creating something entirely new," said Shen Lu, deputy director of the Shanghai branch of the Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University.

"Without any pre-existing models, simply assigning a single entity to implement this new vision would be challenging. We need a more innovative approach."

To ensure the successful implementation of this new vision, the plan will adopt a collaborative creation approach, involving architects, landscape architects, and urban planners.

This collaborative effort aims to integrate cultural, experiential, commercial, and tourism functions into waterfront public spaces, with a focus on organizing cultural events, festivals, and sporting competitions.

Source: Jiefang Daily