Waterfront Revival in "City of Springs" ——Jinan Daming Lake and the Moat

Location: Jinan, Shandong Province

Client: Jinan Urban Landscaping Bureau

Area: 146.6 hm2

Planning and Completion:2007-2010

Most cities in North China are water-scarce, however, Jinan is lucky. Owning to its unique geographical location and geological structure, Jinan has relatively abundant groundwater resources. The groundwater spews out in the Old City, forms a series of springs, flows through the moat, into the Daming Lake, and finally becomes merged into the Yellow River. Old City, Moat, Daming Lake and the numerous springs altogether constitute the precious urban structure of Jinan city.

However, with the speedy urban growth of Jinan City, the percentage of water area in the city was becoming smaller and smaller. The City-Moat-Lake-Springs structure was being destroyed and ruined gradually, and Daming Lake and the Moat were far away from people’s daily life. Daming Lake, encircled by buildings, fences, landforms and vegetation, was almost impossible to be perceived in urban streets. The Moat, surrounding the Old City and approximately 6,900 meters in length, links some famous springs, such as Heihu Spring, Baotu Spring, Wulong Spring, with other important urban open spaces, such as Quancheng Square. But, because of the huge height difference between the urban streets and water level of the Moat, it was very difficult for people in the city to feel the existence of the Moat, even when you were very close to it. And since the discontinuous waterfront pedestrian pathway, people cannot experience the moat unimpededly. It was really a pity for such a city with excellent water resources.

The government decided to enhance the city’s image by improving the surrounding environment of Daming Lake and the Moat. The main objectives are as follows, (1) removing inhabitants and institutions on the south bank of Daming Lake and around Small East Lake, (2) expanding water area and green area, (3) returning Daming Lake to citizen, (4) linking the Moat with Daming Lake, and (5) making Daming Lake and city united as a whole. In early 2007, commissioned by the Jinan Urban Landscaping Bureau, Atelier DYJG conducted an overall research and planning on Daming Lake and the Moat.

In our planning, Daming Lake expands eastward and links up with Small East Lake. This greatly extends the view line and builds a visual connection between the East/West sides of the lake. Southward Expansion of Daming Lake is not simply enlarging the water area, but a process of reorganizing land and water area which is on the base of retaining the original valuable folk houses, streets and urban pattern. An archipelagic structure is formed in this area, and different water spaces are shaped with the creating of islands, bridges, boardwalk and wetlands.

After renovation, Daming Lake becomes a popular urban open space, which features diversified landscape types and various city lives. It also functions as a beautiful and biodiversity-rich "urban green heart" with ecological effects of climate regulating, water conservation and air cleaning. The project of Daming Lake Expansion, together with the adjustment of Baihuazhou water system, makes the lake space open to the city and forms a good spatial connection between the lake and the downtown area.

In this project, water area is enlarged from 48 hectares to 71 hectares, and the landscape aesthetics value, ways of sight-seeing and recreational functions of Daming Lake have been greatly improved. The new Daming Lake is transformed from “A Lake in a Park” to “A Lake in the City” and embodies the integration of history, landscape and city life.

For the Moat, we redesign its waterfront space, improve its pedestrian system, and optimize its visual connection with the city. Thus, the citizen in urban streets can easily enjoy the moat scenery, and visitors can also enjoy the bustling city life and urban scenery when taking the boat trip that will end in the rippling Daming Lake. In this way, Springs, Moat, Daming Lake, and City are linked together, showing the unique charm of the "City of Springs".

In 2010, the landscape renovation of Daming Lake and the Moat was successfully completed. Although not all plans are realized, the precious water system comes back to the city and Jinan becomes a genuine beautiful "City of Springs" again. Citizen can re-experience the city’s charm, and tourists coming here will not feel their trip be in vain.