RhineScheme Yearbook 2012 / 2013

hinescheme 

china projects 

2012/ /2013 

Y 

E 

A 

R 

B 

O 

O 

K

Dear reader, 

This small yearbook which has a lot of parents – a magazine rather than a book – is 

a trial; a trial that will hopefully become more and more consistent over the years. 

The idea behind is not so much to celebrate ourselves, but to give you some 

insights about working as designers for various fields in China – as designers with 

foreign background, be it as Europeans or as Chinese who studied and/or worked 

abroad. 

We address ourselves to our esteemed clients with a big Thank You for the great 

chances they have given to us, to all kinds of potential clients who – by the help of 

this booklet - get to know and hopefully appreciate our design approach, to all our 

staffs with much gratitude for their engagement under the permanent pressure that 

is typical for this market. 

We also address to the Press, to print and other media that seem to find our work 

more and more interesting, to colleagues who may share similar project 

experiences with us, and behind that to everybody interested in the rich sphere of 

activities when designing spaces for human beings. 

The purpose behind this booklet is to tell a little you more about the projects we 

did in the past one or two years, more than just flashing with some impressive 

pictures. Instead telling you some of the stories behind, why and how we did 

things, sometimes in an innovative way, sometimes in a rather pragmatic manner. 

The following pages also tell you something about shifting tasks in times of 

financial crises, and how medium-sized design companies can find different ways to 

maintain their position. 

Last not least also the composition of projects as a whole is revealing something 

about the big variety, the countless surprises and the apparently boundless 

opportunities that are still symptomatic for this country. 

RhineScheme architects & urban planners GmbH 

Beijing, December 2013 

Wolf Loebel / Li Ran

YEARBOOK 2012/2013 

5 

awards 

7 

comp 

leted 

29 

projects 

urban planning 

Tianjin Cultural Centre 

Xixi Exhibition Centre 

Changchun Hills 

Wuhan Smart City 

Wenzhou Movie Town 

Tianjin Tractor Park 

Jinnan Eco-Estate 

Qingdao Hotel Complex 

Hengqin Mixed-Use 

CONTENTS

YEARBOOK 2012/2013 

63 

projects 

architecture 

91 

team 

IPPH office building 

Xiamen Wukuang Tower 

BMW service centres 

Yizhuang S&T Centre 

Dongli Industrial Projects 

Junzhuang Winery Villas 

CONTENTS

AWARDS 

Beijing 

December 4 th , 2013 

Hong Kong 

November 5 th , 2013 

Up to date, the ELITE Award, regarded as Chinese “Habitat Nobel 

Prize”, is the only approved National Science & Technology 

Award for habitat and urban construction in China. 

In a festive ceremony in Renaissance Hotel, RhineScheme 

(together with its local partner, Sunlay Architecture) was 

awarded the 10 th ELITE Science & Technology Award in Gold 

– the highest prize – in the category ‘Architectural Design’ for its 

just completed ‘Hangzhou Xixi Exhibition Centre’. 

About 600 industry celebrities and business representatives 

attended the award ceremony and the related Charity Dinner. 

The award is organized by ‘ELITE Habitat Development 

Foundation’, a private non-profit organization supervised by the 

Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Association, an organization 

that promotes scientific and technological progress in 

Chinese built environment. 

355 companies applied for the award, 89 were shortlisted, 8 of 

them were awarded in different categories. 

Already a well-established event since 2007, property leaders 

from the Asia Pacific region gather in Hong Kong every year in 

late autumn for the two days ‘MIPIM Asia’ real estate summit. 

As steady component of the summit, the traditional Gala Dinner 

on the evening of the first day has been held in Grand Hyatt 

Hotel with almost 500 guests. 

The splendid event is at the same time award ceremony for the 

annual ‘MIPIM Asia Award’ celebrating Asia’s best and brightest 

real estate projects, and rewarding innovation and achievement 

in various fields - selected from more than 150 candidates. 

This year Rhinescheme was awarded the 7 th MIPIM Asia Award 

in Bronze in the category ‘Best Urban Regeneration Project’ for 

its ‘Tianjin Cultural Centre’ that has been already winning 

another important Prize some months ago (see below). 

Frankfurt 

July 16 th , 2013 

For 60 years now, the German Design Council (Deutscher Rat für 

Formgebung) has championed holistic environmental design. 

Launched at the initiative of the German Parliament in the 1950s 

and founded by the German industry, it is task of this non-profit 

organization to promote, by means of good design, the quality of 

our environment. 

With its newly created Iconic Award the Council is focusing on 

outstanding, exemplary architecture and its integration in the 

urban, cultural and economic context. The Iconic Awards is the 

first neutral international architecture and design competition 

that focuses on how the disciplines interact. The Prize is aimed 

to honor the icons of our days. 

Against this backdrop, RhineScheme feels honoured to be 

Winner of ICONIC Awards 2013 in the category “Urban 

Planning Concept” with its ‘Tianjin Cultural Centre’ completed in 

2012. 

5

AWARDS 

6

Tianjin Cultural Centre 

Tianjin / China 

During the first decade of the 21st century, the city government of 

Tianjin – neighbour city of Beijing with 13 million inhabitants – was 

facing new challenges and saw its task as creating a new urban legacy 

for this century. 

As part of an overall urban revival, the City Development Bureau was 

looking for an entirely new masterplan concept for the Litang District, 

a central city area adjacent to the City Hall. By its unique quality as 

front yard of the city government, moreover as name card, foyer and 

living room of the whole city, this planning task had become the most 

important and prestigious for Tianjin in the first two decades of 21. 

To meet the goals and high expectations of the project, RhineScheme 

carefully composed an interdisciplinary team of urban planners, landscape 

architects and architects. 

In addition to the structural shaping of the district with its attractive 

matrix of cultural, commercial, administrative and residential buildings, 

top on the design agenda were human scale and ecological integrity, 

with public transportation, resource conservation and energy 

management as defining issues. 

Satellite view 

location: Hexi District of Tianjin / 

China 

client: 

Tianjin Planning Bureau 

project numbers: 2012 + 4006 

project type: 

Int’l urban planning & 

landscape competition 

two 1st prizes 2008/2009 

and subsequent design 

commission 

design: 2008.6 – 2011.3 

close of construction: 2012.5 

awards: 

‘Iconic Award’ 2013 by 

the German Design 

Council / Deutscher 

Rat für Formgebung 

(winner in the category 

Urban Planning Concept) 

‘MIPIM asia award’2013 

(Bronze winner 

in the category 

‘ B e s t U r b a n R e g e n e r a t i o n 

Project’ in Asia) 

scope of services: Overall Urban and Traffic 

Concept, Deepened 

Urban Framework 

Planning, Conceptual 

Building Design as basis 

and guideline for the 

subsequent tendering of 

individual architectural 

competitions, Landscape 

& Open Space Planning 

and Water Management 

of the entire Culture Park 

planning area: 4.65 km² (competition 

scope urban planning) / 

0.9 km² (landscape and 

deepened urban planning 

GFA: 690.000 m² + 160.000 

m² underground (new 

construction) 

urban design team: Ran Li, Wolf Loebel, 

Jinping Li, Lei Yang, 

Jingting Yuan, Andreas 

Bittis, Lukasz Piasta, 

Marta Niedbalec, Frédéric 

Ripperger, Christian 

Schaller, Joachim Koob, 

Stefan Schmitz 

landscape team: Atelier Dreiseitl / 

RhineScheme GmbH 

local design institute: TUPDI (Tianjin Urban 

Planning & Design 

Institute) 

East shore with the vast flight of steps of the Grand Theatre 


Am Hirzacker 5 D - 36132 Eiterfeld 

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Representative Office China 

3, Dong Binhe Lu 2-2-401 Beijing 100013 

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8

Northern Promenade with Grand Theatre on the right side 

The underlying master plan of 

the Cultural Centre - first prize of 

an international urban planning 

competition in 2008 won by RhineScheme 

- focused on the “Central 

Park”. 

Tianjin has many smaller park 

areas, but this vast territory offered 

the unique chance to create 

something like a representative 

‘garden salon’ for the whole city. 

To fulfill its public function, a core 

area with the dimensions of about 

400 x 1200 meters has been kept 

as parquet free of any buildings: 

a generous, grand open space 

commensurate with the scale of 

a metropolis, able to accommodate 

a variety of public events, 

like open air expositions, public 

celebrations, festivals, concerts, 

and public viewings. 

Northern Promenade with view towards Town Hall 

A large lake is core feature and 

major attraction offering a lot of 

amenity potential, as well as being 

a major ecological anchor for 

the site. Walking on the lakeside 

delights the senses as does the 

contrast between different areas 

where the lake has an architectural 

edge with promenade spaces, 

or soft, naturalistic, contoured 

shorelines where nature takes 

center stage. 

East and south shore with new cultural buildings 

9 



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North-east view with Galaxy Mall and Grand Theatre 

Northern Promenade with view towards Grand Theatre 

On the Eco-Island 

The “Central Park” is framed by a 

pearl necklace of outstanding cultural 

buildings to the south and 

east, and by a commercial building 

spine to the north. 

The lake in its heart is accompanied 

by elevated terraces, on 

the north side following a huge 

arc-shaped promenade covering 

a shopping mall and facilities for 

the youth, in the south forming 

a more formal public boulevard 

lined by museums, library, and 

theatres. 

The Eastern edge creates the potential 

for spatial drama: A vast 

flight of steps in line with the 

glazed building front of the Grand 

Theatre is closing the frame of a 

park with almost rectangular contours. 

The encompassing buildings - 

consciously kept at a human 

scale - make up for an adequate, 

modest and low-rise architectural 

‘stage setting’ of the park area, 

supported only in the background 

by the inevitable high-rises in the 

skyline of Chinese cities. 



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10

In its West the new civic park is 

embracing the existing Town Hall 

and an International Exhibition 

Centre. Only in the North-Western 

corner the landscape remains 

widely open to grant a free transition 

to other existing park areas. 

A slender new light-tower 

as visual focus in the axis of the 

surrounding main roads and as 

modern obelisk is meant to emphasize 

and give hold to the open 

space of this transit area. 

The urban layout creates a cultural 

district of international esteem, 

integrating existing cultural and 

administrative buildings, and incorporating 

a whole series of new 

facilities -cultural, public, commercial 

ones - as well a complex 

public transportation hub. 

A dynamic set of cultural spaces 

(indoor and outdoor) have been 

created that are interconnected 

and unified through the artful use 

of water as the core design element. 

Northern Promenade with floating gardens 

Northern Promenade - transition to Eco-Island 

Night view towards Town Hall with light-tower and sunken plazas 

11 



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The site encompasses an area 

measuring about 1 km² with the 

10 ha lake at the centre. A vast 

promenade winds through the 

site embracing the entire park 

composition, with its unique focal 

point at the Grand Theatre. The 

manifold landscape experience 

along the looping way is captivating 

its visitors: An ecological 

peninsula, gardens, plazas, and 

terraces are surrounding the lake 

and connect visitors to arts, science 

and history as well as entertainment, 

retail, dining and facilities 

for the youth. 

The landscape design seeks to 

humanize the city scale of Tianjin. 

Within the large green structure 

of the park, diverse typologies 

of intimate green spaces 

provide opportunities for citizens 

to meet, communicate, enjoy festivities 

and recreate in the middle 

of a busy city, show in public in 

large boulevards, or meditate in 

the quiet and serenity of intimate 

gardens. 

The whole site has been designed 

with human scale in mind. The 

emotive landscapes - dedicated 

to promoting cultural pursuits - 

also provide the simple pleasures 

of sport and recreation, including 

skating areas, picnicking sites 

and a host of other opportunities 

for generations to interact. 

Ornamentally curved North Promenade - view towards Town Hall and light-tower 


Evening view towards south shore - lake with water fountain 



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12

View towards south shore 

The central lake is not only a 

major recreational resource, but 

moreover an essential element 

of the overall sustainable water 

management concept, unique in 

China in the realized dimension. 

Almost the whole accumulated 

storm water of the cultural district 

is stored, re-used, slowed 

down and drained off. Generous 

tree plantings are linking subsurface, 

decentralized retention 

trenches which feed the lake via 

cleansing biotopes. The lake itself 

is an enormous storm water 

feature, fed completely by rainwater, 

a balancing pond which 

can effortlessly handle a 1 in 10 

years’ storm event and buffer a 1 

in 100 years’ storm event. By this 

innovative system an expensive 

extension of the combined sewerage 

system could be avoided. 

The lake has its own natural biology 

and reduces temperature 

extremes and increasing outdoor 

comfort. 

Eco-Island with Galaxy Mall 

Terraces of the southern shore along the Library 

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South-east view - lake with water fountain 

The park design is partnering between 

nature and civilization. It 

has aspects of beauty and utility, 

form and function; it is intuitive 

and dynamic, lending itself to a 

magical and animated interpretation 

of nature in an urban environment. 

So, while the Culture Park is an 

international destination, it is designed 

with the people of Tianjin 

at its heart. The large park with 

its lake is a natural resource and 

a legacy which will benefit for the 

whole of Tianjin for generations 

to come. 

In the frame marked out by urbanistic 

and landscape features, 

the design of Tianjin Culture Centre 

does not “only” want to be responsible 

in an eco-social sense. 

It is also responsive to the needs 

of people in the 21st century by 

incorporating a multitude of uses, 

and above all: It widens the senses 

to make its visitors feel what 

city could be if it is taken seriously: 

a dignified, communicative 

and joyful place for citizens. 

South shore seen from the terrace of the Grand Theatre 



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14

Xixi Exhibition Centre 

Hangzhou / China 

If one is approaching the building from the waterside – coming by boat 

from the adjacent tourist harbour – the house will at first sight appear 

like a fata morgana, particularly when taking a glance with foggy autumn 

weather. Placed on an individual small island, it seems floating 

above the wide waterscape of the Wetland Park like an archaic ship. 

The Visitors Centre of Xixi Park in Hangzhou (located not far from 

Shanghai within the Yangtze River Delta) is one of three small, iconic 

exhibition buildings placed around the Park, the last one after the previously 

realized buildings by David Chipperfield and Arata Isozaki. 

Last November, the building has been completely finished for the official 

hand-over proceeding and will be put to its future uses during the 

coming months. 

Between the prize-winning design by RhineScheme (international 

competition in 2008) und the close of construction, a period of 5 years 

passed by, which is exceptionally long for the fast-developing China. 

The hesitant construction progress is due to the certification of the 

building with the highest LEED level (platinum). Up to date, in the 

whole huge country there is only a handful of buildings that can cope 

with this standard and with the equally planned zero energy / zero 

emission balance as well. As a result, there is simply not enough experience 

with such technically advanced building types. 

location: 

Hangzhou / China 

client: 

Hangzhou Xixi 

National Wetland Park 

Phase III Co., Ltd. 

project number: 5023 

project type: 

Int’l competition 1st prize 


commission 

design: 2008.8 – 2012.8 

close of construction: 2013.10 

award: 

‘ELITE Award‘ 2013 in 

Gold / category: 

architecture 

scope of services: Technical concept, 

Preliminary Building 

Design, principle 

construction details, 

construction drawings 

check, interior design 

guidelines 

planning area: 1.09 ha (island) 

GFA: 4,300 m² 

directors: 

Wolf Loebel, Ran Li 

design team: 

Wolf Loebel, Lukasz 

Piasta, Marta Niedbalec 

energy consultant: Gerhard Hoffmann 

(ifes GmbH, Germany) 

local design institute: SunLay Design, Beijing 

view from the waterside 



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Its location, Xixi Park, is the only 

Wetland Park in China and an attraction 

for more than 1 million 

tourists annually. It is only a few 

kilometres from the city centre of 

Hangzhou with its famous West 

Lake, one of the biggest tourist 

highlights in China. 

The Visitors Centre on the edge 

of the Park is more than “only” a 

LEED-platinum-certified zero energy 

building. Its location is too 

exposed and visually rich to be 

just a normal building; also the 

surrounding waterscape is too 

impressive, and its use by vast 

numbers of visitors contains too 

many chances. 

Situated just beside the main 

entrance towards the Park, the 

house shall serve mainly as first 

drop-in place for tourists and as 

exhibition centre that still needs 

a curator, but in which the building 

itself will be one of the main 

exhibits. Beside that it hosts a 

branch of Zhejiang University 

(one of the oldest in China) for 

courses and seminars in the field 

of environmental and ecological 

studies. 

site plan 

view from above 

17 



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As entrance building crossed by 

the majority of park visitors, the 

building is an important landmark 

within the spacious landscape 

area measuring almost 12 km². 

At the same time it is a symbol 

for the ecological understanding 

of the Park, and so-to-speak logo 

and icon of the entire area. 

Its ecological avant-garde is 

shown in a causal, but self-confident 

manner: 

south-east facade with university entrance 

The striking triangular shape is 

at first only visible from the air, 

or from some elevated view-point 

in the distance. Only by using 

the building, its basic shape will 

be memorized, especially in form 

of the vast glass roof which covers 

the main exhibition area and 

which is equally triangular. It has 

an inclination towards southwest, 

and accordingly it exposes 

the integrated semi-transparent 

PV panels in the most efficient 

way. 

main hall with ramp 



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18

The architecture takes the term 

‘green building’ at its word: The 

delicately constructed timber 

façade seems almost melting 

with its surroundings; the house 

seems to grow directly out of 

the fertile soil with its lush vegetation; 

the green roof is freely 

accessible for every visitor by a 

wide, grass-covered ramp. 

The generous green roof serves 

as additional and attractive open 

space and belvedere for tourists 

and students who van overlook 

the charming waterscape from an 

elevated perspective or have an 

undisturbed rest there. 

floor plans 

main hall - view towards the entrance 

north-west corner 

main entrance 

19 



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Whereas the moved roofscape is 

inspired by the silhouette of the 

close mountains, the wooden 

sun-protection elements of the 

façades connect the building directly 

to its ground and its variety 

of groves. The density of 

the wooden louvers is changing 

dependent on the façade orientation: 

South and west façades 

appear more closed, while the 

northern building front is largely 

opened. 

The house has been sponsored 

by the local government as demonstration 

project and milestone 

for higher energy efficiency and 

sustainability. 

university entrance 

main entrance with ramp 



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20

Changchun Hills 

Changchun / China 

‘Changchun Hills‘ is the name of a new type of mixed-use development 

in the industrial city of Changchun that is currently arising from the 

extensive ground of a factory which has been producing diesel engines 

from 1948 until 2010. 

Located in China’s north-eastern Jilin Province, halfway between the 

airport and the downtown area of Changchun, the former factory spanning 

a total area of 25 ha is on the way to be transformed into a highend 

mixed development, consisting of ‘Changchun Hills’ (a residential 

compound including club, museum, kindergarten, and small-scale 

commercial) and ‘Changchun 1948’ (with reference to the factory’s 

year of foundation) which marries dining, entertainment, retail and 

offices. 

The first construction stage has been completed in autumn of 2013. 

Tailored to local culture and weather conditions and Changchun’s specific 

urban planning traditions with Russian influence, the project is an 

outstanding and rare example in China of transforming an abandoned 

industrial site into a successful mixed-use area. 

It is also a case study showing that the tremendous speed of economic 

change in China must not necessarily end up in the complete erasing 

of all memory of past forms of economizing. 

New for China and even more for the use of higher-income residents 

is the partial conservation of industrial buildings and the - throughout 

intended – visible exposure of industrial culture and old uses (even in 

an own small museum), as well as the mixture of residential and commercial 

functions in a zone of transition. 

A complex planning task resulted from the wining scheme of an expertise 

for the site, a task that has included urban planning, concepts for 

conversion and re-use, designing of residential buildings, landscape 

planning and even parts of the interior design. 

location: 

Changchun / China 

client: 

China Vanke 

Real Estate Co., Ltd. 

project numbers: 5027+4007+6003 

project type: Int’l competition – 

winning scheme, 


commission 

design: 2009.11 – 2010.6 

close of construction: 2012.9 start-up area / 

2013.10 first construction 

stage 

award: 

China Real Estate Award 

2010 (Jilin Province) 

scope of services: Urban Planning and 

Building Design 

(with Stefan Schmitz 

Architects), Interior 

Design (residential 

lobbies), 

Landscape Design (with 

Atelier Dreiseitl) 

planning area: 25.1 ha 

landscape area: 184,000 m² 

GFA: 480,000 m² (plus 76,000 

m² underground areas) 

directors: 

Wolf Loebel, Ran Li, 

Remo Malnar 

project team: Zhengwei Liu, Lukasz 

Piasta, Bert Engels, 

Jingping Li, Manh Tran, 

Victor Tennorio, Jingting 

Yuan, Lei Yang, Marta 

Niedbalec, Yang Liu 

Commercial Plaza 

Community Club in refurbished factory building 



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22

Urban concept 

Masterplan 

It is in the nature of European 

planners to focus the attention 

on the industrial heritage found 

on-site; that was corresponding 

to the intention of the developer. 

Different strategies have been 

implemented that reach from the 

complete preservation of single, 

iconic buildings (e.g. the central 

club building), to the maintenance 

and seamless integration 

of unique, sometimes strange 

relics (chimneys and water towers, 

rails and fences, load-bearing 

structures and machines) 

und their re-use as artefacts. 

Also the recycling re-use of found 

construction materials – mainly 

bricks – for the pavement of pedestrian 

paths, for walls and for 

re-traced and hence memorized 

foundations and walls of former 

buildings has been realized. 

So-called ‘Time Gardens’ are the 

places to integrate those elements 

into courtyards, plazas and 

playgrounds, all lined up along a 

winding ‘timeline’ - as counterpart 

of the strictly rectangular 

street grid still inspired by Soviet 

urban planning theories. 

Much attention has been paid on 

the design of new buildings within 

‘Changchun 1948’ Commercial 

Zone which all speak an architectural 

language that reminds of 

the existing buildings which could 

not be kept entirely. 

View towards north-west 

One distinctive feature of the 

area however could be kept almost 

completely and integrated 

into the landscape planning: Apparently 

endless, tree-lined avenues 

with more than 60 years 

old giant trees that are still crossing 

the site in the old rectangular 

grid are now belonging solely to 

the pedestrians – as wide, green 

boulevards. 

23 



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Building design 

Residential landcsape. 

Residential towers - north facades 

All apartments are accommodated 

in up to 100 meters tall 

high-rise buildings. Diverse gradations 

between 11 and 33 levels 

are creating a vivid skyline. In 

principle the bigger apartments 

(160/200m² GFA) are accommodated 

in the lower buildings, the 

smaller ones (130/150m² GFA) in 

the taller buildings. 

The unified colour scheme refers 

to the former industrial use: 

brick-red and steel-grey. By a 

rhythmic change of balcony positions 

the south facades create a 

rather jovial, vivid appearance. 

The residential lobbies let the 

residents feel the intended representative, 

at the same time warm 

and welcoming atmosphere. The 

lobby spaces play with generous 

room heights, with large glazing 

providing a bright and airy 

ambience, and with alternating 

materials in similar colour tones, 

changing between travertine-clad 

and timber-clad surfaces. 

Residential lobby 

Club Plaza 

Residential lobby 



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24

Landscape concept 

The project consists of a rich 

layering of natural and cultural 

landscapes whose stories can be 

read in the preserved big trees, in 

some of the characteristic, more 

than 60 years old brick buildings, 

as well as in the attractive new 

open spaces. 

Each element marks a new tick 

on an eventful ‘timeline’ winding 

its way through the history of the 

landscape and into the future, 

giving it an interesting ‘aesthetic 

of time’ unlike anywhere else. 

The story of transformation starts 

in a distant past, when this place 

was a natural plain of grasslands 

and rivers. A rolling landscape 

with trees and plants creates a 

picturesque beauty eroded and 

sculpted by water and wind and 

becomes a green park axis for the 

residents. 

Club Plaza 

Club Plaza 

25 



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A second, rich ‘factory layer’ is 

brought by the relics of the diesel 

engine factory found in situ, 

fascinating artefacts to be transformed 

into artistic sculptures 

or pulsating buildings and urban 

spaces. 

In the private – merely residential 

– community area, footprints 

of the old buildings are preserved 

and reborn as focal points of 

community activity, in the form 

of courtyards, playgrounds and 

gardens. 

All of these relics are an integral 

part of a third layer, an exciting 

urban fabric of mixed-use development 

and open space. Community 

plazas, such as the central 

Club Plaza, which are joined 

by a main urban axis as well as 

a generous offering of pathways, 

will create an ideal outdoor living 

environment. The very heart or 

engine of this new ‘urban factory’ 

is the public commercial centre 

– ‘Changchun 1948’ - reborn 

with civic amenities like plazas, 

cafés, restaurants and clubs, in 

which old and new are dynamically 

combined to create a vivid 

contemporary urban atmosphere. 

Time Garden 

Re-used industrial relics in front of club building 

Residential pathway 

Residential landscape 



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26

These three inter-connected layers 

together will establish ‘Changchun 

Hills’ as a new and exemplary 

centre of vibrant urban life. 

Moving through the landscape 

of the estate along a connecting 

‘timeline’ carved into the continuous 

green park axis, several ‘Gardens 

of Time’ will offer a variety 

of experiences that make time 

spent outside here memorable 

and unique. 

Each garden is inspired by the 

different ways time can influence 

us, whether it is with activity or 

relaxation, reflecting on the past 

and tradition, or by discovering 

new and exciting experiences. 

Commercial Plaza at night 

Time Garden 

Commercial Plaza 

Ornamentally curved east-western landcsape axis 

27 



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Wuhan Smart City & Eco City 

Wuhan / China 

Both Smart City and Eco City are located within Wuhan’s Economic & 

Technological Development Zone (ETDZ) which is encompassing an 

area of more than 200 km² in the south-west of Wuhan Municipality. 

Wuhan ETDZ has been initiated and developed since the early 1990s. 

With an industrial output of 25 billion Euro in 2012 (roughly equaling 

that of whole Hungary), its economic strength ranks the first among all 

development zones in mid-west China. With its future developments, 

the new towns of Smart City and Eco City, it will host an attractive area 

for creating riverside city space, as well as the foothold of construction 

demonstration for the booming Smart City movement. 

The attractive planning site with plenty of water resources spans between 

Yangtze River and Tongshun River. The Eco City is measuring 

58.7 km², while the Smart City facing the west bank of Yangtze River 

is 26 km². The areas are characterized by a rich agricultural landscape 

formed by water ponds and an extensive network of canals and drainages. 

location: 

Wuhan, China 

client: 

Wuhan ETDZ Planning Dpt., 

represented by Pan-China 

Construction Group Co. Ltd. 


project type: Direct commission 

design: 

2013.4-12 

scope of services: District: conceptual urban 

planning 

Core areas: Detailed urban 

planning and construction 

guidelines 

site area: 

84,7 km² incl. landscape areas 

21.4 km² construction land 

core areas: 4.78 km² Smart city core 

31.2 ha Eco city core 

GFA: 

9 million m² (Smart city) 

5,85 million m² (Eco city) 

FAR: 

1.06 (Smart city) 

0.75 (Eco city) 

directors: 

Li Ran, Dr. Elisa Palazzo, Bertil 

Donker, Remo Malnar 

Project managers: Daniele Baratelli 

Roberto Schumacher 

design team: Jing Yu, Yao Wang, Alberto 

Sánchez, Yan Xiong, André 

Westendorf, Yi Ru, Ignacio 

Alonso, Wenchao Yang 

Amidst a varied range of water bodies, the Smart City accompanies the 

Yangtze River bank, whereas the Eco City is located between the inner 

Dongjing River and Phoenix Road, a major city road leading to downtown 

Wuhan. About ¾ of the overall planning area (84.7 km²) is made 

of abundant natural landscapes surrounding the two cities, composed 

of mountains, rivers, flood lands and artificial water ponds. 

Bird’s eye view of the Smart City facing the Yangtze River 

According to RhineScheme’s urban planning concept, both new towns 

are divided into themed districts with corresponding land uses. Within a 

coherent overall design, each of the districts receives its own architectural 

identity and individual urban structure based on its land use and 

Location within China 



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theme. This is achieved through 

carefully knitting together the 

urban structure with the existing 

landscape and infrastructure, and 

by selecting appropriate architectural 

typologies and styles. 

Smart City: Features 

A new city district is going to be 

created in which advanced facilities 

and modern technologies 

provide energy-efficiency, environmental 

sustainability and – 

last not least - highest liveability. 

The site-related official planning 

document “Smart City - Analysis 

of Development Ideas” has been 

setting up important basic guidelines 

to be followed, namely: 

Masterplan of the Smart City (east of Dongjing river) and Eco City (west) 

- Low-density, low F.A.R. 

- Taking advantage of natural 

landscape resources to highlight 

the regional culture features of 

the area. 

- To realize the characteristics 

of “smart city” initially, connecting 

public city resources (water, 

power, oil, gas, mobility and public 

services) and to monitor, analyze 

and integrate various data in 

order to create intelligent living 

standards. 

Bird’s eye view of the ETDZ district from south 

Bird’s eye view of the Smart City from north west 

In general, the concept of ‘SMART 

City’ has been introduced as a 

strategic device to highlight the 

growing importance of social 

and environmental capital within 

a framework of Information and 

Communication Technologies, in 

profiling the competitiveness of 

cities. In particular, a city can 

be defined ‘SMART’ when investments 

in human and social capital, 

traditional transport and modern 

communication infrastructure 

fuel sustainable economic development 

and a high quality of life, 

with a wise management of natural 

resources. 



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The philosophy of RhineScheme’s 

proposal is based on the existing 

landscape as a foundation principle. 

Eight objectives have been 

identified and defined as follows: 

1. Create new spatial experiences 

and new fruitions founded on the 

idea of natural landscape and urban 

landscape. 

2. Facilitate the communication 

between people and nature. 

6. Create an urban space at human 

scale, rich of accessible 

spaces and urban landmarks. 

7. Enhance the residents’/users’ 

feeling of identity and belonging 

to their place. 

8. Propose a new urban model 

for sustainable energy production 

and consumption. 

The predefined road network is 

connecting the North-Western 

This Green Corridor is at the 

same time an environmental connection, 

sustaining biodiversity 

and ecological flows, and an infrastructural 

channel that reorganizes 

the main public systems: 

water drainage, public transportation, 

auto mobility, etc. 

The Smart City facing the Yangtze River. In the background, the Eco City 

3. Set up a new model of economic 

district that relies on 

knowledge, tourism and education 

besides business. 

4. Propose a new traffic model 

that combines fast mobility with 

slow mobility. 

5. Define a new multifunctional 

‘micro-centre’ that enables a lifestyle 

combining culture and education, 

living, working, leisure 

and sports at the same time. 

wetlands and the Eco City to the 

Yangtze River in the South-East, 

crossing the Smart City. An essential 

and necessary consideration 

has been to create a new 

Green Corridor following the 

roads infrastructure and connecting 

the wetland system with the 

Yangtze River basin. 

Smart City is divided into 8 districts 

interconnected by a network 

of regional highways and 

major roads. These districts respond 

to the major connections 

with a protective wall of higher 

buildings both shielding the inner 

areas and creating an urban 

atmosphere along the roads. Towards 

the extensive water landscape 

and the Yangtze River 

front, the urban structure becomes 

dispersed and natural. The 

height of the buildings is reduced 

to minimize the visual impact on 

the landscape and to create a 

suburban appearance. 

From a functional aspect, the 

Smart City consists of administrative 

areas, a commercial core, 

some R&D areas housing innovative 

industries which are synonymous 

for the district, as well as 

some high-level housing areas. 



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Eco City 

The Eco City consists mainly of 

residential areas with close connection 

to natural green areas. 

Bird’s eye view of the Eco City from north 

It is settled between an industrial 

district in the north and the winding 

waterscape of Dongjing River. 

Most of the public and commercial 

facilities are oriented towards 

Phoenix Road in order to provide 

a strong spine and main artery. 

Towards the river the building 

heights decrease, and the urban 

structure becomes less dense and 

plays with the existing boundaries 

of water and land. 

Low-rise residential areas will provide close relation to nature 

Strategically placed at the heart 

of the urban tissue, the Eco city 

core defines a town center and 

will provide services for the surrounding 

residential areas. It will 

include the administrative headquarters 

of the Eco city and various 

public use functions such as 

cultural, hospitality and commercial 

facilities. 

The Eco City Core 



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N 

0 100 200 500 

 

The Urban Design of Central District 

武汉经济技术开发区生态城智慧城专题研究及城市设计 

Research and Urban Design on Smart city Ecological city in Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone 

Smart City: Core Area 

The design for the Smart City’s 

core area aims for an urban scale 

which is restrained in size and 

density; water and irrigation canals 

as structuring elements have 

been kept and re-used as landscape 

features for retail, working 

or living areas. 

The district planning was deepened 

for an area of 4.78 km² strategically 

located to take maximum 

Masterplan of Smart City core 

advantage of the most attractive 

features of the territory: On one 

hand it is surrounding an existing 

lake, offering a quiet and relaxed 

atmosphere, ideal for reconciliation 

with nature and for a realm of 

slowing-down. On the other hand 

it stretches towards the Yangtze 

River, showing a denser and taller 

built environment able to serve as 

business card of the whole development. 

These apparently opposing 

functions are bound together 

by a Green Corridor running west 

The layers of the Smart City: 

Landscape, Mobility and Built Environment. 

to east, the ecological backbone 

of the Smart City and its main 

landscape feature. 

Key method and strategy was to 

re-use the existing land structure 

to a maximum, which follows a 

complex geometry of canals and 

water ponds, in order to minimize 

disruptions and to make the planning 

efficient in terms of time, 

subdivision of land, and construction 

costs. Main roads are therefore 

located on top of current 

The Green Corridor connects the internal wetlands with the Yangtze waterfrontr 



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anks dividing water ponds; existing 

canals are kept, improved 

and becoming elements of the 

landscape design; lower land areas 

of existing water ponds will become 

sunken courtyards or parking 

garages or other underground 

facilities, by that saving excavation 

costs. 

Moreover, the existing water 

system becomes the distinctive 

structure of the overall development, 

with intended reference 

and similarity to ancient Chinese 

water towns. Existing water 

ponds are re-used and revived in 

order to create a unique and contemporary 

waterscape, dedicated 

to people and leisure. 

A Water Park is created around 

an existing lake, with a new and 

unique water experience, taking 

advantage of the existing water 

ponds, water streams and the 

prevailing topography. A new urban 

experience will emerge based 

Water will be one of the most distictive features of the Smart City 

on the found structure of ponds 

and canals, with urban surroundings 

facing the new water axis 

and benefitting from unique and 

inspiring landscape resources. 

Finally, a rich network of pedestrian 

connections and public transportation 

is designed around and 

across the whole area to facilitate 

an alternative mobility to replace 

or reduce private car traffic. 

The Smart City Core quarters are: The Water Park / Smart Living / Public Service Area / Shopping Water Town & SOHO / Living & 

Working Water Town / The Green Corridor / The Yangtze Waterfront / Urban Mansions along the Canal / Residential SOHO 



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Smart City Core: Quarters 

Different functional quarters have 

been shaped with unique character 

and distinct identity. 

The start-up area measuring 1.65 

km² and located around Chanjiang 

Lake will host the planning 

headquarters from which the city 

The Changjiang Park: start-up projects (front) and the Cultural Park (back) 

generates and also the first constructed 

area that will attract investors 

and future citizens. Both 

official and representative projects 

are placed here: The ‘Smart 

City Enterprise Centre’ will provide 

the necessary logistic support, 

while the ‘Smart City Exhibition 

Centre’ will host exhibitions 

and all kinds of information related 

to the planned city. A broader 

introduction to the envisioned 

cityscape will be given by samples 

of high-standard apartments and 

commercial areas that will be built 

there. 

A cultural area is shaped on 

the south-west side of the lake, 

where a set of low-rise buildings, 

The start-up area. From left: Enterprise Service Center, the Exibithiion Center, the commercial waterfront. In the background: the living areas. 



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all with public functions such as 

museum and concert hall, will be 

integrated into the park’s landscape 

design. 

The very center is shaped by a 

low-rise shopping area, which will 

take advantage of existing water 

and canals to create a humanscale 

environment with car-free 

areas dedicated to leisure, restaurants 

and meeting places. 

Perspective of the shopping area along the existing canal 

Close to the highway crossing the 

plot in north-south direction, a 

modern SOHO development will 

show vibrant, dynamic facades to 

the cars passing by, benefitting 

from its good visibility. 

On the east side of the plot, the 

skyline will gradually rise both in 

height and density. Finally, by the 

river bank, a group of landscape 

office towers will create an image 

of modernity and efficiency, carefully 

balancing between the low 

scale of the smart city and the 

size required by the wide Yangtze 

river which they are facing and 

from which they will be seen. 

Landscape features along Junshan Road and the Landmark Towers 

The Yangtze waterfront and the Landmark Towers at night 



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Wenzhou Movie Town 

Wenzhou Taishun County / China 

‘Wenzhou Taishun International Movie Town’, citing the complete and 

rather long project title, is located in a rural, mountainous and utmost 

attractive tourist area in Taishun County, south of Wenzhou. 

By bus, the planned movie town is about 1.5 hours away from Wenzhou 

downtown as the nearest city, nearly 3 hours from Fuzhou city and 

around 5 hours from Hangzhou, Ningbo and Quanzhou. 

Taking the newly opened bullet train, the movie town is only one hour 

away from Wenzhou city centre and one and a half hours from Xiamen. 

Beside its attractive landscape, the location is part of the booming 

‘Wenzhou & Taizhou Economic Zone’, situated between the well-known 

Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone in the north, and the Economic 

Zone on the Western Side of Taiwan Straits in the south. 

Major target of the concept, which is partly invested by the China Central 

Television Company (CCTV), is the movie industry in a comprehensive 

functional chain, i.e. from the shooting to the public release of a 

movie, but integrating as well tourism and real estate development. 

location: 

Wenzhou Taishun County/ 

China 

client: 

Zhonghui Joint Invesment 

(Beijing) Co., Ltd 


project type: 

direct commission 

design: 2012.3-2 

planning area: 3.47 km² 

GFA: 3.5 mio. m² 

FAR: 1.02 

start of construction: 2013 (estimated) 

scope of services: Urban conceptual planning 

and building design 

directors: 

Wolf Loebel, Ran Li, 

Johannes Kister 

project urban planner: Ignacio Alonso 

design team: 

Lara Rubio, Alberto 

Sanchez, Nie Yun, 

Jeannine Schoenberg. 

landscape design: Atelier Loidl 

masterplan 

bird’s eye view 

Nonetheless, the final ‘product’ 

will be more than an accumulation 

of backstages for movie shooting, 

more than a touristic theme park 

and more than a weekend resort 

for affluent Wenzhouers. 

Eventually, the project will create 

a real new town in the region, for 

a more or less permanent population 

of at least 40,000 inhabitants. 

In its spatial layout, the movie industry 

is intended to closely and 

effectively connect with the overall 

urban structure. The movie industry 

is at the same time starting 

point and integral part of a 

bigger whole. 



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40

CBD masterplan 

The Central Area of the movie 

town is the pivot of the entire project 

development. It is the dense 

and busy focus, with starred 

hotels and service apartments, 

with commercial and entertainment 

streets and – above all – a 

themed plaza in its middle with a 

fascinating amalgam of facilities 

for public events, surrounded and 

framed by modern highrises, a 

200 meter super highrise and the 

Cinema palace, all together act as 

unique and memorable landmark. 

At the same time, four themed 

development areas encircling the 

Central Area will serve as carrier 

of the development of movie culture 

and tourism. 

Multi-faceted interaction between 

the different parts of the ensemble 

is intended and encouraged. 

A diversified and synergetic pattern 

is the goal of development 

- with a mix of film-shooting, 

movie tourism, event culture, leisure 

and entertainment as well as 

high-end wellness and vacation. 

The Central Area is designed to 

provide commercial trading and 

operation industries of the movie 

production chain. Functions cover 

post-production, art exchange, 

events, press conferences and 

movie premieres. It will provide 

public services to be found in 

every town and supporting facilities 

for a special kind of tourism 

that derives mainly but not exclusively 

from movie topics. 

CBD bird’s eye view 

CBD night view 

view from central plaza 

41 



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ird’s eye view of european town 

bird’s eye view of european town 

Venice view 

european town masterplan 

The four themed movie ‘parks’ will 

be developed from the construction 

of either typical or unique 

shooting locations, highlighting 

the professional characteristics of 

movie production. 

Each and every of the themed development 

areas serves as ‘onestop’ 

functional area for movie 

production, including conventional 

studios and open areas for indoor 

and mass-scene shooting. 

Meanwhile, it is intended to integrate 

the shooting locations sensitively 

and harmonically with the 

existing landscape, vegetation 

and climate, and with old-established 

villages and communities. 

Coming from the ‘Tourist Service 

Center’ as obligatory welcome 

area, visitors will firstly explore 

the European-style ‘Western Movie 

Town’ starting with a typical European 

square and other special 

features of Western architecture. 

Along a winding road with small 

squares which invite for a short 

rest, visitors arrive at a large water 

basin with a long promenade 

where one can discover Venetianstyle 

buildings. The east side of 

the basin is lined by Parisianstyle 

facades like those along the 

Seine River. Further in the east, 

the new Film University Campus 

for about 7,000 students will be 

located, providing an equally attractive 

setting for filming as for 

education. 



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42

view from Beijing street 

republican town 

bird’s eye view of MingQing town 

Qing dinasty street 

view from Shanghai street 

The ‘Republican Theme Movie 

Town’ will create an image of the 

early days of the Republic of China 

during the 1920s and 1930s in 

historical settings of mainly Old 

Shanghai and Guangzhou. The 

area covers Shanghai’s colonial 

concession area and villas districts, 

featured arcade buildings 

of old Guangzhou, Beijing’s Qianmen 

area, finally a typical Macao 

and Singaporean Street. Each set 

or block combines film-shooting 

and tourism, with separate entrances 

and without disrupting 

each other. 

The ‘Ming/Qing Theme Movie 

Town’ will focus on the architectural 

and street style of Ming and 

Qing dynasties, including the replica 

of a booming business street 

with shops on both sides, courtyard 

film-shooting areas, business 

areas of local residents as 

well as a copy of Prince Gong’s 

Residence, altogether showing 

people’s social status and the poetry 

of Chinese classical gardens. 

The ‘Song theme Movie Town’ 

takes its inspiration from the famous 

painting of a ‘Riverside 

Scene of Pure Brightness’, making 

water become its main subject. 

The setting includes the wellknown 

rainbow-shaped bridge, 

shops around lakes in the city, 

typical Song dynasty courtyards 

and palaces, a city wall and a gate 

tower, finally integrating Beijing’s 

Qiong Island and a fan tower from 

Kaifeng. 

43 



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High-class residential areas are 

located adjacent to the different 

movie themed towns, but undisturbed 

by the flows of tourists 

and film crews. In style and 

manner the residences will have 

a close connection to the relevant 

movie theme, at least in an abstract 

way. 

bird’s eye view of MingQing 

Strategically, a relationship of 

40:30:30 regarding the land area 

consumption had to be achieved, 

namely 40% for movie theme 

towns, film university and movie 

production, 30% for commercial 

areas related with both movie industry 

and tourism, and another 

30% for pure residential functions 

including related service facilities. 

With respect to the largely untouched 

and impressing landscape, 

a green ratio of 40% has 

been strived for, which is achieved 

in the current planning. 

bird’s eye view of Song town 

Song town 

The concentric arrangement of 

the urban structure is - among 

others - a direct result of the 

development strategy: Like the 

pieces of a cake, every construction 

stage should comprise a part 

of the commercial areas in the 

centre, a part of the encircling 

movie towns and a part of the 

rather remote residential compounds, 

so that a profit on investment 

is granted for every step. 

In its whole intention, this project 

is aiming at an alternative, 

elaborate concept for the mushrooming 

so-called ‘movie towns’ 

all over China. It tries to avoid the 

mistakes of unilateral and unbalanced 

developments which either 

do not integrate the functional 

chains of movie and/or tourism 

industry sufficiently, or which end 

up in greatly artificial environments 

with cheap and unsteady 

character. 

Song town 



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44

Tianjin Tractor Park 


How to deal with our industrial heritage? Every country, every region will 

find its own answer. China certainly needs a special approach: too fast is 

the urban development, too big the pressure from developers and too voracious 

the monetary hunger of the municipalities. This project deals with 

a big chance for Tianjin. 

‘Tiantuo’, name of the production areas of the Tianjin tractor factories with 

a long history dating back to 1937, is located in western Nankai District 

of Tianjin, very close to both Inner and Outer Ring Road encompassing 

the city centre. The site was one of the 4 biggest farm tractor production 

bases in China – an important chapter in the history of China’s heavy industry 

development. 

The location is prominent and promising, since it is in close vicinity to the 

reputable Nankai University, alma mater of former Premier Zhou Enlai, 

and to the bustling Anshan West Road, the so-called ‘High-tech Street’ 

very similar to Beijing’s Zhongguancun. 

In recent years, the city government decided to shift the tractor-manufacturing 

companies (since the turn-of-the-century mainly John Deere Tiantuo 

Co., Ltd.) eastwards, because a mere tractor factory district seems no 

longer suitable for an area which is becoming part of the heart of Tianjin. 

location: 

Nankai District, Tianjin 

client: 

China Merchants Real 

Estate (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. 


project type: 

Urban Planning 

design: 2011.12 - 2012.3 

scope of services: Conceptual urban planning, 

business concept 


GFA: 2.0 million m² 

from that ca. 220,000 m² 

in kept buildings 

1.2 mio.m² residential, 

310,000m² commercial, 

190,000m² office, 

180,000 m² creative ind. 

120,000m² culture, 

sports, hotel, traffic hub, 

parking 

FAR: 2.1 

directors: 

Ran Li, Wolf Loebel 

design team 

Alberto Sanchez, Jeannine 

Schoenberg, Lara Rubio, 

Bairu Zhang 

The upcoming transformation and 

redevelopment of Tiantuo district 

can set a good example for upgrading 

and renewal of the industrial 

structure of the central city, 

transforming the mode of economic 

growth, and optimizing the 

layout of industrial space in general. 

Plot location and infrastructure 

Keeping the old road system and trees 

strategic location 

Main axis and conections to the city 



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46

According to the new positioning of Tiantuo in the overall urban plan of 

Nankai District, planning structure and urban spatial layout shall lead 

the development and construction of the district and shall enhance its 

image and value. 

Conversion of large-scale urban industrial areas always comprises of: 

protection, renovation and re-use, development, and new construction. 

The latter is the most profitable and hence dominating factor that 

needs to be balanced in a smart way. 

existing buildings 

kept buildings 

plot overview 

main entrance 

The planning is founded on and 

respecting the original road patterns 

and the tall, old trees 

aligned to them, as well as the 

characteristic urban structure of 

the factory itself mainly from the 

1950s. 

It strengthens the role of the 2 

main axes found on the plot by 

converting them into green boulevards 

in east-west and northsouth 

direction, both 50 meters 

wide. These boulevards form the 

backbone of the development 

and moreover make the former 

secluded plot become an integral 

part of the city. 

The original buildings, industrial 

findings and vegetation on the 

site can reflect working and living, 

general orientation, sense 

for functionality and other values 

of past times, which can also become 

part of the functional needs 

of nowadays. It is an attractive 

strategy to integrate and recreate 

them, stripping fragments 

from the “past” and melting them 

into new forms, passing down the 

artistic and sometimes even dramatic 

memories of the site to contemporary 

society. 

Existing situation 

47 



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The urban structure is stressing 

two main directions. Apart from 

giving structure and bringing in 

green spaces, both boulevards 

bring users into the heart of the 

plot. 

The main city-connecting node is 

the north-east corner of the plot 

due to its proximity to the ‘Hightech 

Street’ and the planned new 

traffic hub with bus terminal and 

subway station. A square with a 

new high-rise building emphasizes 

the importance by height and 

by its nocturnal function as lighthouse 

visible from far away. Bus 

terminal and adjacent retail areas 

will lead people quasi naturally 

into the area. 

strategic points 

The second node with the city is 

the former entrance to the factory, 

where the east-west axis starts 

and ends. The old factory gates 

and logos are kept, leading to an 

amazing boulevard with creatively 

refurbished old factory buildings 

on both sides that accommodate 

new commercial uses. 

axis concept 

The whole site is divided into 

blocks with different uses and 

qualities. Towards the main 

streets in east and west a rather 

urban, high-rise appearance 

is kept, including office and 

hotel uses on the city side. 

Uses analysis 

Most of the maintained factory 

buildings with commercial 

functions are concentrated 

around the east entrance following 

the main axis, carefully 

mixed with new residential 

towers. 

Parts of the old buildings are to 

be converted into parking garages. 

If not the entire building, 

then at least parts of the 

old structure is kept and integrated 

as landscape elements. 



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48

The north-eastern area close to 

the traffic hub is creating a vivid 

variety of squares, plazas, courtyards 

and gardens – different in 

scale, grade of openness, surface 

materials and functions, and 

forming a little world of its own. 

Old elements are blended with 

new volumes to create a mesh of 

pocket parks. Old factory buildings 

and new buildings of similar 

character are interconnected by 

bridges creating a second pedestrian 

level with retail areas. 

Above these, solid, 4-level podium 

volumes, office towers rise 

up in a modern glass-and-steel 

language. 

commercial area 

masterplan 

The whole south-western area, close to the future Forest Park on the 

other side of the Outer Ring Road, has pure residential functions and 

enjoys privacy and calmness. 

The Central Green Plaza is heart and soul of the site. Located in the 

intersection of the two boulevards, a vast green open space is created, 

equipped with a subway station, surrounded by cultural facilities and 

galleries, lofts and space for creative enterprises, all accommodated in 

existing old factory buildings. 

landmarks 

master plan 

pedestrian/green areas/open spaces 

public transport 

culture commercial area view combined commercial & residential 

49 



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The urban proposal emphasizes a creative renewal of this place with 

its rich history in order to form new spaces for new aspirations, for 

creative people of all kinds, for a mixture of work, leisure and commerce, 

for high-quality residences and attractive green spaces for the 

common joy of residents, users and citizens. 

mixed residential & commercial 

kept buildings 

residential 

Rsidential mixed with commercial/kept structures 

birds-eye view 



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50

Jinnan Eco-State 


The site is located in the outskirts of Tianjin, in Jinnan District southwest 

of the city centre, quite near to the Bohai Sea. It is in a suburban, 

rather rural surrounding, but in close vicinity to a dense network of 

highways and expressways. Design brief was to create an attractive, 

lively city community, using the quality of the environment to attract 

visitors, business and residents. This aim is realized by the combined 

means of urban planning, landscaping, and architecture and by developing 

a consistent branding strategy. This strategy will provide an 

identity to the development as a whole and thus will be the core marketing 

concept for this residential development. 

An existing commercial area is centered on outdoor activities such as 

horseback riding, a green-house tropical garden, harvesting your own 

food, as well as an event space. RhineScheme proposes to combine 

these and add other activities around the theme of “Living healthy in 

harmony with nature”. 

location: 

Jinnan,Tianjin / China 

client: 

Tianjin Songjiang Eco 

Industry Co., Ltd. 


project type: 

International Competition 


scope of services: Urban planning and 

landscape design 

site area: 

83.6 ha 

GFA: 870,000 m² 

656,000m² residential, 

214,000m² commercial 

FAR: 1.05 

director: 

Li Ran 

design director: Bertil Donker 

project architect: Ignacio Alonso 

design team: 

Zhang Xin, 

Alberto Sanchez, 

Roberto Schumacher 

This gives a branding direction 

to the commercial centre. It also 

provides the residential areas 

with an identity and theme to 

which buildings and landscaping 

are to be designed. This has 

been done by careful selection of 

façade materials and garden design, 

but also on a technological/ 

ecological level. 

The commercial centre will attract 

visitors from all over Tianjin, 

but is still functioning as the 

local heart of the development. 

Residents will benefit from the 

facilities and are attracted to the 

underlying ecological idea. These 

considerations are also reflected 

in the design. Rather than designing 

each plot as a separate island, 

the aim has been to tie all together 

with two parkland axes, which 

function as the internal pedestrian 

routes. Their crossing point 

is the middle of the commercial 

centre and by that is leading all 

visitors there. 

Bird’s eye view 

Concept diagram 



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52

Neighbourhoods spring off the 

axes like leaves on a branch, 

each with their own identity but 

all part of the same family. Each 

plot can be accessed from the 

axes, whether it is a residential 

neighbourhood, the school or the 

commercial heart. 

The neighbourhoods are connected 

to the axes through a communal 

garden or ‘green heart’. The 

east-west running axis has the 

character of an ‘urban’ axis. Soft 

landscape is combined with hard 

quays and steps leading to the 

water depending on the functions 

on either side. 

The north-south axis forms a 

wetland park. It is wide and 

works as storm water storage 

and high quality outdoor space. 

Masterplan 

Bird’s eye view of green axis 

53 



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Main square perspective 

Perspective of Horse-riding Club 

Perspective from green axis 

This axis can also be described 

as the ‘event axis’, with activities 

such as Wetland Exhibition, 

Water Experience Park, Wedding 

Square, fishing pond and event 

space all aligned. Both axes 

and all green hearts are themed 

around water. Water improves 

the living quality of the surroundings 

and provides a dynamic 

landscape experience in times of 

higher and lower water levels. In 

time of flooding an overflow area 

is provided which keeps the low 

levels safe. 

The architecture is modern but 

unobtrusive. Materials with texture 

and natural colours close to 

nature: stone and brick in earthy 

colour tones. Each neighbourhood 

is recognizable through its 

distinct colour scheme. The commercial 

area, although compiled 

of different plots, uses the same 

style and colours in order to give 

coherence. 

It is part of the overall design 

concept to implement the theme 

“Living healthy in harmony with 

nature” on all levels: From the 

organic food sold at the farmers 

market to the building materials 

and technologies used. 



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54

Qingdao Hotel & Entertainment Complex 

Qingdao / China 

Rhinescheme was invited to work on a design competition for a section 

of ‘Qingdao Oriental Movie City’, an ambitious, 5 billion USD megaproject 

to make Qingdao the Hollywood-like centre of China’s film industry, 

which is expected to be the world’s biggest by 2018. 

The developer is planning to build several tourism cities across China, 

all located in attractive areas and not only featuring hotels and themed 

attractions, but also residential and commercial buildings. Among 

these, the one in Qingdao is unique in size and in the fact that it will 

be partly built on an artificial island and located opposite the planned 

film and movie base. 

The brief of the masterplan was to locate a variety of hotels, from 

3-star to 6-star, a conference centre, a bar street and a marina. In a 

fast track project, the decision was to locate the hotels like a string of 

pearls in-between the conference centre and marina clubhouse. Emphasis 

has been placed on this route through architecture and landscaping. 

A tempting tourism walking route is created, linking the conference 

centre with the bar street, hotels and marina. Eventually the 

walkway is looping all the way back to the conference centre along a 

romantic boardwalk with views over the Yellow Sea. 

location: 

Qingdao / China 

client: 

Dalian Wanda Commercial 

Properties Co., Ltd. 


project type: 

Invited Competition 

design: 2013.8 

scope of services: Conceptual Urban planning 

& Building Design 

site area: 

46.2 ha 

GFA: 583,000 m² 

( 320,000m² hotels, 

100,000m² residential, 

88,000m² conference area 

55,000m² marina, 

20,000m² bar street ) 

FAR: 1.25 

director: 

Ran Li 


project architect: Pengyong Li 

design team: 

Yan Xiong, Mario Grgic 




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56

The centre of the hotel area is 

the ‘living room’ of the plan: An 

area with cafés and small restaurants 

surrounding a water pond 

where after sunset an hourly water 

fountain & light show is taking 

place. This living room will be an 

attractive area to stroll around in 

the evening along the grand facades 

of the hotels, all beautifully 

lit, or to sit on one of the many 

benches chatting the night away. 

One side of the living room is a 

boulevard, and it extends across 

the island in a gently curved arch 

going from north to east. Facing 

north it forms a balcony overlooking 

the sea; towards the east it 

turns into the pier protecting the 

marina from the waves. 

On the inside of the dam water 

ponds, swimming pools with artificial 

beach can be created. 

The marina clubhouse is designed 

as a free form, perhaps shaped 

by the wind and waves, or reminiscent 

of the hulls of boats. As a 

fitting end of the string of pearls, 

a landmark tower - as part of the 

clubhouse - is placed like a lighthouse 

overlooking the marina 

and the open sea. 

The buildings have been inspired 

by the seaside, the waves and 

the wind to design their facades. 

Although differences exist, all 

hotels are from the same pallet, 

which unifies the urban plan and 

overall atmosphere. 

Even without natural beach, it is 

possible to give the luxury hotels 

a natural landscape and water. 

This pier is fashioned upon the 

piers one can find along the North 

Sea and Baltic Sea, full with entertainment, 

snacks and of course 

beautiful views over the water. A 

high bridge marks a small sightseeing-ferry 

harbour. People daring 

enough to climb the bridge 

will have full view of the marina 

and all the ships, sailing boats 

and yachts coming and going. 

As the site is an artificial island, 

no natural beach can be created. 

In the absence of any kind of 

beach a meandering boardwalk 

along the edge of the island has 

been designed. The boardwalk 

plays with the artificial, hard edge 

of the dam, sometimes curving 

inside and sometimes going out 

as a balcony over the water. 

Masterplan 

The 3-star hotels are placed in 

the centre of the development, 

whereas the 4 to 6-star hotels are 

placed along the fringe, offering 

them the best views. Although all 

hotels will be developed jointly, 

each hotel does have its own operator, 

style and layout. 

Marina view 

57 



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Hengqin Mixed-use Complex 

Zhuhai / China 

Hengqin Island is a currently booming Special Economic Zone within 

the one-million-city of Zhuhai, directly connected with Macao by the 

short cross-border Lotus Bridge. The whole island is dedicated to become 

an expansion area of Macao which is quickly running out of land. 

Rhinescheme was commissioned to do a feasibility study for a mixeduse 

project within this new development area. The site is located in the 

west of Hengqin Island, just opposite of Macao and separated from the 

latter by 300 meters of seaway. 

The brief of the half million square meter project included about 50% 

residential buildings on two plots, as well as roughly 50% of commercial 

property on three other plots. One of the plots has been allocated 

to SOHO type property, a second plot to regular office areas with commercial 

podiums, and a third one to a seaside shopping and entertainment 

complex. 

location: 

Zhuhai / China 

client: 

Jindi Real Estate 

Investment Co., Ltd. 


project type: 

Feasibility study 

design: 2013.6 

scope of services: Conceptual Urban 

Planning 

site area: 

14.4 ha 

GFA: 495,000 m² 

(253,000m² residential, 

242,000m² commercial & 

public uses) 

FAR: 3.35 

director: 

Li Ran 


project architect: Alberto Sánchez 

design team: 

Roberto Schumacher, 

Ignacio Alonso, Daniele 

Baratelli 

Masterplan 



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60

The land-use plan set the overall plot layout and also predetermined 

underground pedestrian passages from plot to plot. As one of the 

planning requirements these passages had to be linked to commercial 

spaces in the first and second underground level and as such provide 

an interesting mix of public and private space. 

On an abstract level, the planning concept makes reference to the 

ancient Chinese tradition of ShanShui painting. This style - first arising 

in the Liu Song Dynasty - is characterized by paintings of natural 

landscapes, real and imagined. They usually depict soaring mountains 

with waterfalls surrounded by clouds, with a colour scheme based on 

the Chinese elemental table, in which each element is associated with 

a certain colour. 

people 

Bird eye view 

nature 

mountain 

water 

city 

Concept diagram 

This painting style later started to influence landscape design and urban 

planning theory. With Chinese cities becoming ever larger, Chinese 

urban planners have been advocating the ShanShuiCheng (or 

‘mountain-water-city’) with its concept of bringing nature and human 

scale into our cities in order to achieve harmony between nature, city 

and human beings. 

The design seeks to apply this concept in two different ways: 

Firstly by adopting it to the large scale and to the skyline of the development. 

The surrounding sea is low and the inland mountains are 

high, hence the city skyline mediates the space in between. 

Secondly, by taking the natural elements like mountains, rocks and 

sediment layers and designing the urban landscape around these natural 

shapes and atmosphere on an architectural level. 

Lofty Mountain by Shen Zhou. 

61 



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The underground passages, as 

required by the Planning Bureau, 

would be quite dark and narrow. 

The quality of these spaces is enhanced 

by opening them up and 

exposing them to the sunlight. 

The result is a multi-level channel 

meandering through the plots, 

sometimes narrow, sometimes 

widening up into a square, like 

a canyon cut by water out of the 

soil. 

This creates pleasant spaces with 

natural light and landscape. 

Perspective of residential ‘canyon’ 

The tall buildings tower above 

the scenery like the ZhangJiaJie 

mountains, covered with plants 

and hanging gardens. 

The canyon and commercial 

spaces are designed to the human 

scale, whereas the tall buildings 

communicate to Macao and 

the city as a whole. 

Bird eye view of commercial ‘canyon’ 

Seaside elevation 



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62

Intellectual Property Publishing House 

Beijing / China 

IPPH (Intellectual Property Publishing House) is an important Chinese 

state-owned institution that deals with publishing of patent literature 

in books, magazines, and others media. Overall design goal was to endow 

the Client with a mature and representative building which combines 

the functional organization of an up-to-date office building with 

a narrative architecture and a consistent urban concept. 

The plot is located in the north-western part of Beijing and is defined 

by streets on two sides: a still-to-be-built main road in its north connecting 

the Second Ring Road (encompassing the ancient city centre) 

with the National Library area, and a smaller street in the west leading 

to the north gate of the Beijing Zoo. By concentrating the building in 

the east side, the basic rectangular shape receives wider east-west facades 

which are favourable to an office building – even in China where 

south orientation is almost a must. 

location: 


client: 

Intellectual Property 

Publishing House (IPPH) 


project type: 

International Architectural 

Competition 1st Prize 


scope of services: Conceptual building design 

planning area: 4,900 m² 

GFA: 32,000 m² 

(17,000 m² aboveground) 

FAR: 3.5 

directors: 

Li Ran, Wolf Loebel 

project architect: Daniele M. Baratelli 

design assistant: Wan Huang 

urban concept 

RhineScheme decided to take 

advantage of the particular plot 

features by positioning a large 

public square at the street corner. 

Here an open - and relatively protected 

- sunken plaza bopunded 

by a simple landscape design 

is planned to create a place for 

meeting and relaxation, giving a 

distinct name card to the company 

that is financing the project 

and to its cultural matrix. 

night view 

masterplan 

underground plaza 



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64

The first three floors and the first 

underground floor of the 60-meters-tower 

are for retail and catering, 

while the remaining twelve 

levels provide office space. As an 

answer to the quite particular 

company culture, the main semipublic 

functions such as bar-restaurant, 

exhibition area and conference 

hall are placed in the top 

floor. Other areas for meeting and 

communication are appropriately 

located close to several overlooking 

terraces. 

IPPH floors 14-15 

east elevation on public plaza North elevation from main road west elevation 

The company’s identity is reflected 

in the skin of the building 

which makes a clear distinction 

between (semi-)public areas and 

the places for work. Since IPPH 

mainly deals with publishing, the 

office facades create the vivid image 

of a book shelf, with bigger 

and smaller, thinner and wider 

volumes. 

The project centers on the concept 

of cultural exchange, and on 

a well-going interrelation between 

different functions and users and 

between public, semi-public and 

private spheres. 

view from the main street 

detail of facade 

65 



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WuKuang Office Tower 

Xiamen / China 

Xiamen, island and coastal city with about 4 million inhabitants just 

opposite of Taiwan, is one of the prospering Special Economic Zones of 

China and home to a huge community of overseas Chinese. 

The new 100 meters tall office high-rise will create an enduring landmark 

that fits its exposed and exclusive location with unobstructed 

views to the sea and to the future redevelopment areas around the 

container harbour. By replacing the existing ‘China Minmetals Building’, 

it will become the very first reconstruction project in Xiamen. 

The shape of the building is a direct result of the maximum volume 

allowed by solar shading analysis and by the fire-fighting restrictions 

of the plot. 

In particular the new building should not worsen the existing sunlight 

conditions in the surrounding residential buildings, not even in one 

single room. 

The tower is made up of 3 different volumes separated by landscaped 

terraces that provide excellent amenities for users and offer panoramic 

views. Within the floor-plan organization, these terrace areas are hosting 

special functions, either for collective purposes, or – conversely – 

for exclusive ‘VIP’ uses. 

location: 

Xiamen / China 

client: 

Xiamen Sharing Huarong 

Import/Export Trade Co.Ltd. 


project type: International 

Architectural Competition 

Winning Scheme. 

Design commission. 

status: Start of construction 2014 

design: 2012.7 - 2014 

scope of services: Building design, incl. 

construction drawings, 

landscape design. 

planning area: 0.7 ha (7,100m²) 

GFA: 

66,800m² 

(47,600 m above ground) 

FAR: 6.4 

directors: 

Ran Li, Wolf Loebel, Rudolf 

Henseli 


design team: Jing Yu, Pengyong Li, Bertil 

Donker, Alberto Sánchez, 

Lara Rubio, Daniele Baratelli 

design partner: China Academy of Building 

Research 

View from Haican bridge 

Maximun volume allowed by solar shading 

Green terraces concept 

Physical model 



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68

View from main street 


Section 

The volumes are enclosed by a 

thin glass façade. Vertical steel 

frames protruding from the glass 

skin are creating a dynamic, upwards-striving 

pattern and have 

an additional sun-shading effect. 

Xiamen has subtropical climate 

with an average annual temperature 

of 21°C; efficient sunprotection 

is hence a must and a 

challenge at the same time, since 

both main facades are facing 

deep sun-positions, and frequent 

typhoons do not allow using exterior 

sun-shading elements. 

Several incisions will open the 

building to the outside, providing 

the offices with green gardens, 

balconies and terraces, which offer 

a more delicate and welcoming 

appearance in opposition to 

the regular skin. 

The tower’s podium opens up and 

becomes permeable as it reaches 

the ground: A big opening signalizes 

semi-public uses wrapped 

around a spacious, airy, sun-lit 

lobby that encloses 3 levels and 

leads to exhibition and conference 

areas, cafés and snack bar, 

as well as some commercial uses. 

69 



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The middle volume containing 

renting offices is the most regular 

one. It anticipates the changing 

needs in workplace with large, 

open spaces that allow flexible 

use. 

The top volume appears to float 

above the rest; it houses headquarter 

functions and large open 

air gardens that cascade over 

the top levels of the tower with 

amazing views of Xiamen. 

These ‘hanging gardens’ are covered 

by steel frames that act as a 

pergola for sun protection, at the 

same time defining a clear shape 

of the tower for its urban image. 

The building is designed to have 

minimal impact on the environment. 

It incorporates sustainable 

strategies through passive and 

active energy-saving measures. 

Night view 

Physical model 

Ground floor Floor 10 Floor 16 



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70

71 

Design for a BMW Showroom Theatre, RhineScheme 2011.11

莱茵之华 

rhinescheme 

BMW show, sales & service centres 

China 

Not only is China the world’s biggest market for new cars, it is also 

one that is developing at an unprecedented pace, since the unsatisfied 

demand all over the huge country is still tremendous, and it will 

stay for years to go. German luxury car-makers are benefiting from 

this development to an even higher degree than the average, and 

BMW is among the car brands on top of the sales increase. 

The demand of car dealers wishing to start new dealerships – mainly 

in the form of 4S/5S shops beside a smaller amount of other formats 

– is currently more than 100 per year all over China. The annual 

number of refurbishments and extensions of existing facilities 

is even higher. 

To support the fast-growing 

nationwide business by architectural 

design, RhineScheme 

Beijing office has become planning 

partner of ‘BMW Brilliance 

Building Design Consultancy 

Team for Dealer Development’, 

located in Beijing, since February 

2012. 

Schematic Building Design on 

various project types started in 

May 2012 and includes checking 

of construction documents and 

interior design documents by local 

design institutes as well as 

– lately – the support in updating, 

adapting and consolidating 

BMW-specified ‘building guidelines’. 

莱茵之华 

Shenyang Shengbao 5S 

location: 

all over China 

client: 

BMW Brilliance 

Automobile Ltd. 

project numbers: 5029-001 to 5029-062 

project type: 

direct commissions 

design: 2012.5 – 2013.12 

scope of services: Schematic design, 

coordination with 

and construction drawing 

check of local architects 

and interior designers 

building types: mainly 4S/5S shops 

(Sales-Service-Systems- 

Spare Parts, added by a 

Sustainability component 

in case of 5S), SC (Service 

Centers), Showrooms, 

FLC/FLR (Fast Lane repair 

shops in city or rural ar 

eas), extension/ 

refurbishment/renovation 

projects 

GFA: mainly between 5,000- 

12,000m² (4S/SC) and 

12,000-30,000m² (5S) 

director: 

Ran Li 


team manager: Xin Zhang 

design team: 

Bairu Zhang, Mingyang 

Shi, Yao Wang, Pengyong 

Li, Han Qiu, Alberto 

Sánchez, Yuzhen Chen, 

Daniele Baratelli, 

Yan Xiong. 

Hefei Baozhijia 4S 

rhinescheme RhineScheme GmbH 


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莱茵之华 

rhinescheme 

More than 60 projects have been 

started so far within the first one 

and a half years; some of them 

are already in operation. 

Hulun Buir 4S 

Corporate Culture requires that 

every building in which one can 

experience, buy or repair BMW 

cars is easy recognizable as a 

building from the same company. 

The exterior appearance follows 

classical modern principles, 

with white or grey façade panels, 

white plaster for secondary 

parts, with large-scale glazing 

for the public areas hold by dark 

window frames, with sun-shading 

elements and with emphasis 

on horizontal lines in general. 

Beijing Baoxin 4S 

Shenyang Shendebao 4S upgrade 

Heze Qianbao 4S 

莱茵之华 

73 



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莱茵之华 

rhinescheme 

Light colours are also dominating 

the interior spaces, although 

more private and intimate 

areas can very well be 

kept in rather dark elegance. 

Preferred materials are tiles 

in several grey tones, partly 

also in sand colour, and 

wooden flooring or other timber 

elements in natural colours. 

Tianjin Longbaohang_5Swork bay 

Lighting channels and partition 

walls, open staircases 

and communication images 

all follow BMW’s CI. 

The street-like arrangement 

of the exhibited cars, the layout 

of sales areas and workbases, 

integrated lounges 

and special new car delivery 

areas follow common principles 

as well. 

As a whole, they create 

strongly brand-oriented 

spaces with a modern, airy 

and bright appearance. 

Hulun Buir 4S_driving gallery/show room 

Tianjin Longbaohang 5S_driving gallery/show room 

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rhinescheme 

Following the differing requirements 

and demands of the single dealers, 

office areas and canteen provide 

room for individual design, as do even 

more the VIP areas that can be quite 

extensive and luxurious in China. 

Tianjin Longbaohang 5S_interior courtyard 

They are usually located in a separate 

upper level and comprise more 

freely designed rest and relaxation 

areas, including bar, snack and dining 

spaces, chill-out and massage-chairs, 

movie-watching areas, and lots of 

other facilities widely unknown to the 

more pragmatic Western buyers. 

Tianjin Longbaohang 5S_life style area 

Interior design 

Tianjin Longbaohang 5S: 

Crossboundary Architects 

Beijing Greenspace Construction & 

Design Co.LTD 

Shenyang Shengbao 5S: 

Shanghai PURESIGHT Architectural 

Consultants Co.LTD 

Shenyang Shengbao 5S_VIP area 

莱茵之华 

75 



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Yizhuang Science & Technology Center 


BDA (Beijing Economic & Technological Development Area), is a national 

top-priority Development Area, and one of the biggest in China. 

Fuelled by the tremendous growth in various industry sectors and 

along with the explosion of private-equity firms seeking investment 

opportunities, BDA has developed capabilities for other growing sectors, 

like education, renewable energies, and retail. BDA and Yizhuang 

itself benefit from a superb strategic location. Yizhuang has developed 

as the hub of communications linking Beijing and Bohai. 

The Science & Technology Center (STC) is dedicated to be Yizhuang’s 

window of development and planning: a contemporary building opened 

to the public, a center of artistic quality that showcases and makes full 

use of hi-tech methods. It will serve as platform demonstrating hi-tech 

manufacturing industries and products, as service centre for the local 

companies, as space for exhibition, meeting and exchange. 

location: 


client: 

BDA Administration 

Committee 


project type: 

International Competition 

design: 2011.10-12 

scope of services: Conceptual building and 

landscape design 


GFA: 27,160 m² 

FAR: 0.15 

directors: 

Li Ran, Wolf Loebel 


design team 

Huang Wan, Lara Rubio, 

Jeannine Schoenberg 

second floor (conference center) 


Perspective from the lake 

Ground floor (exhibition center) 

Yizhuang STC is located in the 

middle of the ‘International Enterprise 

Cultural Park’, a public park 

supposed to support a number of 

activities and events.The building 

is aimed to be green and sustainable 

in order to conform to its 

purpose and context; its connection 

with nature is very important. 

Visitors are expected to enjoy the 

splendid views and environment; 

to this intent the exhibition areas 

are closely connected with their 

surroundings as part of a quasi 

osmotic building. 



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78

The exhibition space is introversion 

and extension of the park at 

the same time: paths with flowers 

let the indoor space grow into the 

surrounding nature. 

The different functional parts of 

the park have been connected 

through a promenade along the 

lake that changes shape and size 

adapting to the surroundings, 

transforming into a bridge in the 

main axisimproving the access 

from the park’s main entrance. 

perspective from the exhibition park 

Night view 

The building’s main idea consists in lifting a piece of the park and putting 

an exhibition space underneath. A living blanket of vegetation is 

created that covers a service space for the public – symbolizing the 

least possible intervention into nature. 

The exhibition area has no clear boundaries. 3 different kinds of spaces 

- uncovered, covered, and indoor spaces – create a variety of possible 

exhibition arrangements. 

Yizhuang STC is planned with two objectives: one of social nature, 

aimed to generate activities, and one of environmental nature, with 

the goal of bioclimatic adaptation of outdoor and indoor space. The 

building – in a figurative sense - learns from its context and adapts to 

it. It represents a modern interpretation-concretization of a forest as 

complex biotope. 

Analysis of building elements 

Section 

79 



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Visitors are attracted to the mysterious floating object when they see 

it from a distance. Approaching the building, they will enter an open 

exhibition hall covered above with a semi-transparent wooden skin in 

a flowing motion, an illusionary, ephemeral structure where functional 

spaces like conference rooms, offices and other services are hanging 

from a green roof. 

This green roof becomes part of the landscape of the ‘Enterprise Park’; 

it will be partially accessible to visitors who can enjoy views from above 

while walking through a small path. 

Sustainability has been a key aspect of the design, in the sense of creating 

a resource-saving and efficient structure by reducing its overall 

impact to the environment. 

The building is designed as one comprehensive system rather than a 

collection of stand-alone technologies. It lives off its biophysical surrounding: 

the energy and matter found on its own site. 

perspective of conference center 

entrance perspective 

Green roof 

The distribution of functions is 

simple and flexible: 

The ground floor is reserved entirely 

for the exhibition space as 

the heart of STC - in direct contact 

with the surrounding park. 

It forms a big flexible and mainly 

open space that can easily adapt 

to different needs of the center. 

The second floor accommodates 

the remaining functions that need 

more specific and closed spaces. 

The overall floor space organization 

allows that the different 

building functions (conference, 

offices, education and exhibition) 

can work independently or jointly. 



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perspective of cafeteria in second floor 

For the main building structure a system of steel beams and columns 

will be applied, the roof will be shaped by a three-dimensional steel 

structure. 

A glass curtain wall will clad the exhibition space. Also the conference, 

office and education spaces in the upper level will be built of glass, steel 

and prefabricated light panels, and then covered by a semi-transparent 

wooden skin. 

Three different types of shutters with different densities will be adapted 

in the façade. The shutters are used for sun protection, but also create 

a vibrating interior atmosphere that reminds of the plays of light and 

shadow in a forest. 

The green roof will be planted with local species that won’t need extra 

maintenance or water. 

detail and distribution of wooden shutters 

forest reference 

Interior of main exhibition hall 

81 



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rhinescheme 

Dongli Industrial Projects 


Dongli District is located on the central axis of Tianjin City connecting 

the central city and the coastal new areas. It is part of the city’s major 

economic development belt with industrial and high-tech parks, 

economic & technological development zones etc. The area is among 

those with the highest development potentials of Tianjin City. 

The task comprises 2 plots for 2 different projects for the same client, 

located close to each other, less than 20km from Tianjin city 

centre, and well connected by light train and highways, only 15 km 

from the airport, and within walking distance from the landscaped 

Hai River: 

The first one is a greenfield development to build living and working 

spaces, whereas the second one is to redesign the facades of an 

existing office building. 

location: 

Tianjin Dongli District/China 

client: 

Tianjin ORAC Elevator Co. Ltd 


project type: 

Feasibility studies and 

conceptual façade design 


scope of services: Urban planning, Building 

design and Façade Design 

area: 

5.2 ha 

GFA: 202,000 m² 

FAR: 3.9 

directors: 

Li Ran, Bertil Donker 

project architect: Alberto Sanchez 

design team: 

Yang Wenchao, Roberto 

Schumacher, Daniele 

Baratelli, Mario Grgic 

The first plot located on a 

street corner should achieve 

the highest possible density. 

The program of offices, commercial 

and SOHO areas is 

hence accommodated in 10 

north-south oriented towers. 

Along the street a pedestrian 

landscaped area is accompanying 

a continuous 3 floors’ 

commercial podium with 3 office 

towers; the tallest of these 

high-rises with 30 floors is 

marking the street corner and 

serves as landmark for the development. 

Masterplan 

Person view from the South 

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rhinescheme 

Bird eye night view from the sourth-east 

The podium has three landscaped entrances leading to the inner part of the plot, where the 7 SOHO towers 

are located within a more private and green garden-like area. Straight dashed lines of greenery enhancing a 

dynamic atmosphere are leading from the public street to the inner private and calm areas. 

The different heights of the towers create a vibrating skyline. 

All in all, a simple urban organization is seizing the potential of the plot and creates a perfect canvas for 

multi-functional living and working. 

day view from the landmark corner 

evening view from the landmark corner 

莱茵之华 

85 



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莱茵之华 

rhinescheme 

The challenge of the second task 

– the new façade design for an 

existing office tower - was in 

creating a vivid façade based on 

a rather stiff and not very delicately 

built structure. 

Two options were adopted: One 

creating a pattern of opaque, 

solid areas in 2 colors – green 

and white - mixed with fields of 

transparent glass. The underlying 

concept is that of bamboo 

and green jade, creating a vivid 

façade in green tones by alternating 

the position of the opaque 

green and white panels. 

The second option is a transparent 

glass façade with visible floor 

plates marking the horizontal direction, 

and sun-protection elements 

strengthening the vertical direction. 

façade option 1 

façade option 2.1 façade option 2.2 

This option still follows the first idea of creating a vivid façade. But here vertical, perforated metal panels 

mounted in front of the glass façade are creating shadow and movement and also enhance the verticality of 

the building, making it appear slimmer than it is. 

A variant of this approach is using a second layer of vertical, solid stone elements. The effect is similar to 

that of the metal panels; yet the impression is a more solemn and grave one. 

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86

Junzhuang Winery Villas 

JunZhuang Wine Culture Park, Beijing / China 

RhineScheme successfully competed in the invited competition to design 

3 prototype winery villas of varying scales set in an overall masterplan. 

The location can be found West of Beijing in a valley of the Yan mountain 

range, in an area well known of its lush vegetation and pear orchards. 

The three wineries would be open to the public who would be able to tour 

the properties and the surrounding vineyards to get acquainted with wine 

and wine-making in general. The masterplan envisaged the villas set in 

a beautiful vineyard landscape planted on ancient terraced mountain 

slopes: the result of hundreds of years of farming and fruit cultivation 

in the valley. RhineScheme recognized the need for a varied program 

beside the core of wine making to attract, but moreover to keep visitors 

in the area. To this end, a number of alternative leisure and tourism 

activities have been planned such as golf, hiking and a restaurant area. 

The villas are in 3 contrasting European styles: French, Tuscan and Spanish. 

These will form the basis of a much greater development in the area 

in which RhineScheme has been approached to take part. 

location: 

Beijing Mentougou / China 

client: 

Beijing Top Jiahua 

Management Co., Ltd. 


project type: 

Competition winning 

scheme with subsequent 

design commission 

scope of services: Conceptual urban planning 

and building design 

design: 2012.7+8 


FAR: 1.0 

directors: 

Wolf Loebel, Ran Li 


design team: 

Alberto Sánchez, 

Lara Rubio, Jing Yu, Yi Ru, 

Ignacio Alonso 

external consultant: Rudolf Henseli 

Masterplan 

French style Italian style Spanish style 



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The Boutique winery 

The Enterprise winery 

The Private winery villa 

The largest of the wineries, at 

approx 4,000m² is designed as 

a fully equipped wine production 

facility, complete with wine press, 

filtration and storage. Besides 

making wine, part of its functions 

is to hosts visitors who can enjoy 

and learn about wine in luxurious 

surroundings. 

The entrance is formed by a double 

height lobby with a majestic 

staircase. From there a route 

leads through the winery starting 

with a physical model of the 

masterplan followed by some entertainment 

in the music room. 

The guests will be able to access 

the wine cellars and wine tasting 

rooms after a tour of the production 

facilities. At the end of the 

day a glass of wine can be enjoyed 

on the terrace overlooking 

the vineyards. 

Designed in a quasi-French style, 

the building is a mix between castle 

and renaissance architecture. 

Typical elements are the high 

mansard roofs and the adjoining 

towers erected in natural stone. 

The symmetrical façade reflects 

prestige and history. 

A medium size winery measuring 

1,500m², also is a fully working 

wine production facility. The 

winery shares many of the features 

the bigger boutique winery 

has, but is aimed mainly at 

guests from companies and other 

groups. These will be able to rent 

the fully catered property and enjoy 

the area and its facilities in a 

more private atmosphere. 

Designed in a quasi-Tuscan style, 

the building features typical architectural 

details from the middle 

of Italy such as the battlements 

along the roofline and the 

belvedere on the roof top. The 

wine cellar opens up to the private 

garden, so that natural light 

can reach the tasting area and 

events can spill out into the garden. 

The smallest of the three buildings 

is just over 900m². It is too 

small for having its own production 

facilities; however it is aimed 

at the wine enthusiast who would 

like to live in beautiful surroundings 

and with a possibility to 

show off an extensive collection 

of wines. The above ground levels 

are designed as a luxurious villa, 

while the cellar has ample space 

for display, safe storage, tasting 

and entertainment. 

The villa is in a Spanish style 

which seems more suited to a 

domestic program. The design 

has the famous lazy sloping red 

tiled roofs which contrast beautifully 

with white stucco walls. 

Architectural features, such as 

the entrance or window openings 

are accentuated with natural 

stone. The arches on the ground 

floor blur the difference between 

inside and outside and provide 

shelter against the summer sun 

and therefore also suite to Beijing 

climate. 

ground floor 

ground floor 

ground floor 

89 



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Beijing Team 2012/2013 

from A - Z 

Alonso, Ignacio Baratelli, Daniele Chen, Yuzhen Deng, Wengui 

Huang, Wan Li, Junpeng Li, Pengyong Li, Ran 

Malnar, Remo Nie, Yun Palazzo, Elisa Dr. Pelucca, Bruno Dr. 

Schumacher, Roberto Shi, Mingyang Sun, Ruimei Wang, Yao 

Yang, Wenchao Yu, Jing Yi, Jipeng 

91

Donker, Bertil Grgic, Mario Dr. Henseli, Rudolf Huang, Jing 

Liu, Chen Loebel, Wolf Lu, Shen Ma, Chen 

Qiu, Han Ru, Yi Sánchez, Alberto Schönberg, Jeannine 

Westendorf, André Xiong, Yan Xu, Yinghua Yang, Lei 

Zhang, Bairu 

Zhang. Xin 

92


is a worldwide acting architecture and urban planning practice that can fall back 

on more than 30 years of professional experience in planning and construction 

management. 

About 80 designers are working in networking offices in Germany (Cologne, 

Frankfurt, Leipzig), China (Beijing, Shanghai) and in the U.S.A. (Philadelphia). 

RhineScheme feels obliged to a holistic design approach from the very 

beginning of each project. 

We work in integrated planning teams made up of architects, urban and 

landscape planners, interior designers as well as members from a wide network 

of associated experts, engineers and consultants. 

We are aiming at sustainable solutions, easily adaptable to changing parameters. 

Our goal is intelligent low-tech concepts that derive from the local; we are 

striving for economically feasible innovation and creativity. 

Tangible practical experience is completed by international teaching and 

research activities. 

Since 2004, a focus of our planning efforts is in China, where a local 

international team together with experts from abroad has created a project 

portfolio that is quite unique among German design companies. 

Equipped with an equal German-Chinese management, RhineScheme’s Chinese 

branch is concentrating on urban planning and architecture projects as well as 

ecological construction technologies. 

With about 20 half local, half foreign architects and urban planners, 

RhineScheme has an experienced working team familiar with both Chinese and 

Western planning conditions and culture, able to combine international experiences 

with local know-how. 

RHINESCHEME GmbH | Rep. Office China | 3, Andingmen Dong Binhe Lu, 2-401 | Dongcheng District 

Beijing 100013 | P.R. China 

莱茵之华设计集团 | 中国北京代表处 | 中国北京东城区 | 安定门东滨河路 3 号院 | 雍和家园 2-2-401 | 邮编 100013 

phone 电话 +86-10-84221360 | fax 传真 +86-10-84221382 | email 电子邮箱 info@rhinescheme.com 

93

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RhineScheme Yearbook 2012 / 2013

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