Nanjing is set to swap cigarettes for silicon and valleys for alleys, as a new design competition gets under way to transform a once-iconic site in the city from being a cigarette factory into one of many so-called high-tech Silicon Alleys, with an impressive US$50,000 in store for the overall winner.
It is certainly high time for renovation of the area; the former Nanjing Tobacco Factory is typical of the run-down Nanjing of old. This particular example also hit the headlines last summer when a foreign student died after being stabbed on the street outside the factory.
Such gruesomeness aside, the site, located near to downtown’s 1912, is in many ways most desirable, being on the northern side of Shipopo’an between Fuqiao Station and Dahanggong Station on Nanjing Metro Line 3.
The competition documentation outlines Nanjing’s architectural style thus, “It has not only the dignity and richness of northern architecture, but also the ingenuity and delicacy of southern architecture. The masters of architecture in this period, such as Yang Tingbao, Liu Dunzhen, Tong Liang, Xu Zhong and Guan Songsheng, made great contributions to the foundation of Nanjing city and architectural culture in the last century.
“Nowadays, driven by the trend of globalisation and urbanisation, the old cities and their cultural memory are gradually disappearing. Dialogue with the old city, recalling the past, is a topic that cannot be ignored for the sustainable development of urban culture.”
As a result, competition entrants shall be expected to submit conceptual design schemes that upgrade the overall environment of Nanjing Tobacco Factory Park, and implement various building functions therein, through a redesign and reform the exterior facade and interior.
An exemplary 8-member team of Chinese and foreign judges have also been assembled to rate the competition entries and choose the winners. Wang Jianguo, Zhang Tong, Zhang Lei, Bo Hongtao, Mario Folin, Josep Miquel Pique and Dietmar Eberle all exhibit impressive credentials in the fields of architecture, city regeneration, urban planning and sustainable development.
Submissions may be made by teams with up to 10 members. Collaboration between professionals and students is encouraged. Submissions should be a maximum of 50-pages, including graphics, 3D visualisations and written descriptions.
With the closing date for submissions 15 December, prizewinners shall be announced on 10 January, 2020. The overall winner shall receive US$50,000, two second places US$20,000 and three third places US$10,000.
Full documentation, in Chinese and English, may be found on the competition website, or by calling 18046521588 (Grace Huang).
