Gouqi island site

Shengsi islands The Shengsi Islands are composed of three island groups, from east, central, to west. Located within the central island cluster, 75 kilomoters from Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Caiyuan Town is the primary municipal-ity of this region. The majority of the archipelago’s 80,000 residents reside on the main island, while the remaining 10,000 are dispersed throughout the other islands.

Employment

For the indigenous population, employ-ment is focused almost entirely on deep water, large scale sea �shing and coastal shell �sh farm-ing. Due to an established government policy, the work is seasonal, [�shing season begins at late autumn, from winter to spring, while the summer is reserved for rest] which facilitates a sustainable cycle enabling �sh to breed during the o�-season. Other sources of income revolve around small scale, family run, bed and breakfast establishments and motels, created by local homeowners and �nished to local tastes. More and more spontaneous renovations were com-pleted with ceramic tiles on motel facades.

Throughout the inhabited islands there are approximately 8000 beds currently available for this type of accommodation. There are two 4-star hotels, located in Shengsi Island Caiyuan town.

Soil The islands’ soils do not readily support agriculture or the growth of large trees. There are numerous surface rock formations, from which the indigenous population use to construct their homes.

Economic background

Due to China’s per capita GDP growth, its tourist industry has moved from tourism real estate towards a stage of resort real estate devel-opment. This process follows the fundamental principle of sustainable development and pres-ervation of original ecologies and natural resources; to focus on a high end resort industry with a minimal impact on natural resources, to raise the level of per capita consumption, to establish a healthy holiday industry structure, to accommodate various environmental, economic, and cultural needs, and to rationally integrate and allocate natural resources. High end resort travelers have high esteem and deep appreciation for local environments and culture, as well as high expectations for the quality of hotel facilities and services. This type of traveler tends to enjoy longer stays at places with a fewer number of people and utilizes a large amount of spending power. China has a population of 1.3 billion people, and many of the major cities have more than 15 million. Shanghai alone has over 23 million people. Shengsi Islands, with only 100,000 inhabitants, is 130 kilometers from Shanghai. Possessing 1800 kilometers of coast-line on the east coast of China, Shengsi Islands is a truly unique place with an unmatched natural environment.

Protection of natural resources, develop-ment of a large scale port logistics industry, and preservation of local culture are the three under-lying con�icts. As the last ideal vacation spot on China’s eastern coast, being next to a massive city with its massive tourism demands, what will the fate of Shengsi Islands be?

Shengsi West

Shengsi West is an international container port and fuel depot with a 15-meter deep sea bed; its capacity is up to 15,000,000 containers annually. It is one of the major on-going projects divided into four phases of construction with completion expected in 2020.

The land, upon which the western sea container port has been built, is owned by Shengsi’s Local Government. This provides a signi�cant proportion of the public revenue �ow, which facilitates the provision of income subsidies to the local residents along with the provision of infrastructure projects, energy, water, schools, hospitals and other commu-nity facilities. This has enabled the Shengsi Islands to remain populated, while similar neighboring island groups are being depopu-lated and or abandoned by their residents. However, some parts of the eastern Shengsi Islands group are beginning to fall into a simi-lar condition of dilapidation. Several years ago, due to a new government policy that vacated the small islands and focused devel-opment on larger islands, population migra-tion in search of employment in urban centers began to change the local demographics.

China east coast islands Zhejiang Zhoushan Islands is the fourth national-level New Region following the Shanghai Pudong New Region. It is also the �rst major sea-based economy of the national-level new regions. Zhoushan Islands has a long established history, dating back 5000 years to the Neolithic Period, where early inhabitants began agriculture, �shing, and sea salt production.

Zhoushan Islands have three primary advantages: �shing industry, port, and tourism. It is China’s largest producer, processor, and distributor of seawater products. In 2010, it received 21,390,000 tourists.

The Shengsi Islands are located at the Northeast sector of Zhoushan Islands.

AIM Challenge

This year AIM invites entrants to demonstrate how their proposal will deliver renewal and preservation to the villages ofShengsi’s fragile and pristine eastern islands. Your design proposal will form a portion of the newly-developing tourism sector. It should present and communicate an attractive invest-ment opportunity allowing for feasible implementation. [Pro�t is not the �rst condition of necessity]

AIM will focus on how you intend to address the following: - Preserve and enhance the islands’ relaxed lifestyle culture and improve the living standards of the island inhabitants- Promote tourism developments that will expand the employment opportunities of the villagers- O�er a new cultural perspective which may inform the villagers- Renovations of their own holiday accommodations and communities

hills &

woods

hills & woods

hills &

woods

village

village

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villa

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A view in the hills...

A walk in the �elds...

A place to stay in the village...

Traditional village is characterized by it’s relationship with landscape, which formed and changed the look of the village for generations. On Gouqi islands, the main forces which shaped local villages were the sea and hilly topography of the island. Through these forces, there was always a distinguishable border between village, and the surrounding landscape - the sea, �elds and hills. Today, this border between village and landscape is changing, it's melting away.

Result of this new element is simple system:

Shore - is the frst frontier, determines natural boundaries between the sea the land. Path - is the second frontier, manmade border determines the end of village, and the start of the landscape.

To prevent loss of area characteristics caused by losing the border which de�nes them, we proposed a simple element to stop vanishing of the border :

Path is not only the symbol of border, it is also a connecting element. Along this path, we proposed a several small locations with its own speci�c character. These are the stops along the way, where you can enjoy the spirit of the area.

The Path

Land, sea, village and the path

Gouqi island site

Viewpoint over the cliff

Pathway across fields

Pathway around pond

Sitting with view over the fields

Flower garden, teracce, playground along the way

Place to stayNew pier

Sitting along the pathway

Stop for refreshment

Viewpoint over the cliff

Sitting along the pathway Stop for refreshment

Pathway across fields Pathway around pond

Sitting with view over the fields

Flower garden, teracce, playground along the way Place to stay

New pier

Villages

Map legend

Woods & bushes

Fields PondsThe Path

Roads

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Areas for tourist accomodation

As the path is the border between landscape and village, the new tourist accommodation is designed to be built along the path, gaining the best from both areas:

Instead of one big area for tourist accommo-dation, we choosed multiple smaller areas. This way, these areas won’t compromise villages of its unique spirit and character.

Thanks to this, all villages on the island will have it’s own area for tourist, and will be able to o�er services and experiences based on local customs.

Calm and contact with nature of landscape, and hospitality of the village.

Master plan for tourist accomodation is based on a characteristic elements of the Gouqi villages:

Houses built along the contour lines

Di�erent levels of village interconnected using stairs

Teracces around the houses

Courtyards between the houses

Place to stay

Village

Path

Landscape

Village

RoadShore

Touris

t acc

omodation

Land, sea, village and the path

All tourist areas are in the vicinity of the roads. Not directly next to them, but by using stairs and local paths, only a minute or two away from them. And all tourist areas are on the path as well.

So this means, if you need to move across the island quickly after a trip on Path, you will always �nd a car which will take you from vicinity of tourist area. And you will always �nd a tourist area, because they are all on the Path.

For local inhabitants of the villages, this means a opportunity for pro�t. As the number of cars on the island is limited, the transport of tourist and their luggage will be dependant on the services of inhabitants of the island.

using best of the Path and the roads

calm and experience of the Path, and the speed of the roads

Transport

Each new area for tourist accomodation consist’s of a central building and several individual houses. Each house has its own terrace or courtyard. The central building serves as a recep-tion, restaurant and an accommodation for larger groups of tourists. It also have larger courtyard for a occasional celebrations.

Flower gardens and water �ltration gardens are proposed on the lower edge of the area. All houses are connected with the village using exterior stairs.

Central House

GardenGarden

Garden

Yard Yard

Yard

Yard

Yard

Yard

House

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Hou

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House

House

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Hou

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House

Path

Village

House

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Accommodation

House

Elevations M 1:200

One of the typical houses for accomodation of tourists. House is designed for a couple or for a family with one or two childrens. The shape of the house resembles local traditional houses, as well as the usage of stone as one of the local materials.

Section M 1:200

Floor plan M 1:200