BOTANICA GARDEN IN WEINAN, PRC LAUNCHED

New Wenrui Group’s Botanica Garden mixed-use development was officially launched in Weinan, Shaanxi Province, PRC on 29 July 2019. Designed by AWP, the 650,000sqm development includes over 4,000 apartments, a 150,000sqm retail mall and 4,500sqm kindergarten. The launch ceremony in Weinan was attended by a large audience during which AWP Director Danny Hinde and Design Manager Sean Seah presented the architectural concept.

AWP’s concept is the creation of an ‘Oasis within the City’ inspired by the garden city concept of Singapore. The building form is highly contemporary in both style and materiality with the building massing broken down into a dynamic combination of frames and boxes to reduce the perceived size of the blocks. A variation in block height between 22 and 34 storeys creates an undulating skyline and creates garden spaces on the roofs of the lower blocks. Careful apartment planning allows for a varied façade configuration without the need to transfer services etc.

Landscape forms a continuous theme running throughout the project. Residents have the opportunity to utilize ‘green spaces’ ranging from small (S) pocket sky gardens, sky bridges (M) that link blocks together, large sky terraces (L) that occupy the roofs of the lower blocks and the (XL) greater masterplan landscape. These landscape spaces are expressed as accents on the façade to add a further layer of fenestration to the elevations of the blocks and enhance the ‘Oasis’ concept.

This design approach culminates in a unique, contemporary and dynamic architectural façade and a carefully crafted set of building blocks, placed on the site to create a dynamic, kinetic skyline and a residential masterplan which is modern, visually outstanding, efficient and user-friendly.

AWP would like to congratulate New Wenrui Group on the successful launch and look forward to continuing with the design evolution of this exciting project.