Just off the Chinese coast of Hainan sits a large patch of brown earth breaking up an otherwise uniform stretch of blue water. While it may be a bit of an eyesore right now, the island, which is named South Sea Pearl Eco-Island, is destined to become a 250 hectare tourist destination complete with homes, hotels, attractions, and a port with enough space for two cruise ships to dock.
But that all comes later.
Right now, the island is as empty as a promise from Charles Ponzi or one of this year’s presidential candidates, and before any construction can actually begin, it needs to be determined who will design the master plan that will transform the island. As ArchDaily reports, that’s where Hainan Airlines Group’s international design competition comes into play.
The competition has been organized by China Building Center, which has selected former Chief Architect of Barcelona and Director of Guallart Architects, Vicente Guallart, to develop the strategic vision for the island. The goal is to create an urban development using the best available technologies with a focus on ecological principles to make a landmark for new urbanism in China, according to Guallart.
10 firms will present submissions and a winner will be selected by a jury comprising Aaron Betsky, Benedetta Tagliabue, Donald Bates, Sergey Kuznetsov, Peter Poulet, Horacio Werner, and Margarita Jover during the last week of August.
The 10 competing firms are:
- Foster + Partners
- Morphosis Architects
- Office of Architecture in Barcelona Carlos Ferrater Partnership
- Diller Scofidio + Renfrom
- IROJE Architects & Planners
- UNStudio
- KuiperCompagnons
- The Jerde Partnership Inc.
- CCDI
- Boston International Design Group, LLC
After the selection is made, construction on the island is expected to start in 2017. A tentative completion date of 2027 has also been set. Additionally, South Sea Pearl Eco-Island may not be a solitary development. Studies are currently underway to evaluate the region for other possible man made islands and existing islands off the coast of Hainan may follow the lead of South Sea Pearl Eco-Island and become more tourist-oriented.
Related Stories
Adaptive Reuse | Mar 26, 2024
Adaptive Reuse Scorecard released to help developers assess project viability
Lamar Johnson Collaborative announced the debut of the firm’s Adaptive Reuse Scorecard, a proprietary methodology to quickly analyze the viability of converting buildings to other uses.
Security and Life Safety | Mar 26, 2024
Safeguarding our schools: Strategies to protect students and keep campuses safe
HMC Architects' PreK-12 Principal in Charge, Sherry Sajadpour, shares insights from school security experts and advisors on PreK-12 design strategies.
Green | Mar 25, 2024
Zero-carbon multifamily development designed for transactive energy
Living EmPower House, which is set to be the first zero-carbon, replicable, and equitable multifamily development designed for transactive energy, recently was awarded a $9 million Next EPIC Grant Construction Loan from the State of California.
Museums | Mar 25, 2024
Chrysler Museum of Art’s newly expanded Perry Glass Studio will display the art of glassmaking
In Norfolk, Va., the Chrysler Museum of Art’s Perry Glass Studio, an educational facility for glassmaking, will open a new addition in May. That will be followed by a renovation of the existing building scheduled for completion in December.
Sustainability | Mar 21, 2024
World’s first TRUE-certified building project completed in California
GENESIS Marina, an expansive laboratory and office campus in Brisbane, Calif., is the world’s first Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE)-certified construction endeavor. The certification recognizes projects that achieve outstanding levels of resource efficiency through waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices.
Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024
Corporate carbon reduction pledges will have big impact on office market
Corporate carbon reduction commitments will have a significant impact on office leasing over the next few years. Businesses that have pledged to reduce their organization’s impact on climate change must ensure their next lease allows them to show material progress on their goals, according to a report by JLL.
Adaptive Reuse | Mar 21, 2024
Massachusetts launches program to spur office-to-residential conversions statewide
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey recently launched a program to help cities across the state identify underused office buildings that are best suited for residential conversions.
Legislation | Mar 21, 2024
Bill would mandate solar panels on public buildings in New York City
A recently introduced bill in the New York City Council would mandate solar panel installations on the roofs of all city-owned buildings. The legislation would require 100 MW of solar photovoltaic systems be installed on public buildings by the end of 2025.
Office Buildings | Mar 21, 2024
BOMA updates floor measurement standard for office buildings
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has released its latest floor measurement standard for office buildings, BOMA 2024 for Office Buildings – ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024.
