HENN has designed a city gate for the urban redevelopment of Sanya, the southernmost city in the People’s Republic of China. Dating back to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), Sanya has recently developed into a popular tourist destination.

In order to advance Sanya’s central area into a destination for both business and tourism, HENN conceptualized a central green artery as the new gateway to the tropical sights of South Hainan. It connects the key elements of the Sanya central business district. Commercial and retail centers, hotels, fine dining, outdoor cafes, and nightlife terraces populate the periphery of the central park. The plaza axis redirects heavy traffic flow from the Sanya railway station to the north, promoting efficient circulation and maximizing human contact.

Since Sanya has a warm tropical climate, the green central plaza features a lush landscape of local tree species and tropical plant life. Its three-dimensional configuration projects in both horizontal and vertical directions to maximize land conservation. Featuring a multilayered structure with interwoven connective paths, the plaza integrates numerous ramps and stairs to connect its disparate levels.

In order to encourage pedestrian comfort and community interaction at the ground surface of the plaza, vehicular traffic is isolated to the underground level. The majority of the green plaza is thereby reserved for pedestrians and bicyclists, concurrently weaving efficient circulatory connections between all urban pockets.

Heavy foot traffic is channeled from the railway station into the smaller, more intimate sectors of the city, thereby allowing the Sanya population to experience the entire length of the city center by foot. Vehicular traffic is directly connected to the regional transportation hub, with a priority bus system to provide smooth and efficient traffic flow while minimizing traffic density in the city center.

Sanya City Gate from HENN on Vimeo.

Client: Sanya Urban Planning Department
Location: Sanya, China
Program: Transport Hub, Leisure, Office, Commercial, Residential
Area GFA: 1.100.000 m²
Status: International Competition
Local Partner: Suzhou Institute of Architectural Design (SIAD)
Consultant: MVA Transport Consultancy, Shenzhen
Design Team: Leander Adrian, Anthony Hu, Haitao Long, Martin Henn, Eduardo Hidalgo, Alan Kim, Emil Pira, Wei Sun, Xuan Wu