Just off the Chinese coast of Hainan sits a large patch of brown earth breaking up an otherwise uniform stretch of blue water. While it may be a bit of an eyesore right now, the island, which is named South Sea Pearl Eco-Island, is destined to become a 250 hectare tourist destination complete with homes, hotels, attractions, and a port with enough space for two cruise ships to dock.
But that all comes later.
Right now, the island is as empty as a promise from Charles Ponzi or one of this year’s presidential candidates, and before any construction can actually begin, it needs to be determined who will design the master plan that will transform the island. As ArchDaily reports, that’s where Hainan Airlines Group’s international design competition comes into play.
The competition has been organized by China Building Center, which has selected former Chief Architect of Barcelona and Director of Guallart Architects, Vicente Guallart, to develop the strategic vision for the island. The goal is to create an urban development using the best available technologies with a focus on ecological principles to make a landmark for new urbanism in China, according to Guallart.
10 firms will present submissions and a winner will be selected by a jury comprising Aaron Betsky, Benedetta Tagliabue, Donald Bates, Sergey Kuznetsov, Peter Poulet, Horacio Werner, and Margarita Jover during the last week of August.
The 10 competing firms are:
- Foster + Partners
- Morphosis Architects
- Office of Architecture in Barcelona Carlos Ferrater Partnership
- Diller Scofidio + Renfrom
- IROJE Architects & Planners
- UNStudio
- KuiperCompagnons
- The Jerde Partnership Inc.
- CCDI
- Boston International Design Group, LLC
After the selection is made, construction on the island is expected to start in 2017. A tentative completion date of 2027 has also been set. Additionally, South Sea Pearl Eco-Island may not be a solitary development. Studies are currently underway to evaluate the region for other possible man made islands and existing islands off the coast of Hainan may follow the lead of South Sea Pearl Eco-Island and become more tourist-oriented.
Related Stories
High-rise Construction | Jul 9, 2013
5 innovations in high-rise building design
KONE's carbon-fiber hoisting technology and the Broad Group's prefab construction process are among the breakthroughs named 2013 Innovation Award winners by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
| Jul 8, 2013
RSMeans cost comparisons: offices, daycare centers, convenience stores, fast food
Construction market analysts from RSMeans offer construction costs per square foot for offices, daycare centers, convenience stores, fast food.
| Jul 8, 2013
RSMeans cost comparisons: hotels, motels, and apartment buildings
Construction market analysts from RSMeans offer construction costs per square foot for hotels, motels, and apartment buildings.
| Jul 8, 2013
Learn from the world’s fastest animal: speed isn’t everything
Every schoolchild knows that the cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal—70 mph, no sweat. And, as we all know from National Geographic television documentaries, it is speed that makes Acinonyx jubatus such a fearsome hunter, right?
| Jul 3, 2013
Mid-year special: Top 13 stories for 2013 (so far)
Every six months, we like to take a look back at the stories that generated the most interest from our readers. Here's a roundup of the top 13 articles on BDCnetwork.com for the first six months of 2013.
| Jul 3, 2013
World's biggest freestanding building opens in China
Measuring a stout 100 meters high, 500 meters long, and 400 meters wide, the New Century Global Centre in the Tianfu New District of Chengdu, China, is officially the world's largest freestanding building.
| Jul 3, 2013
Mall of America will double in size after $2.5 billion expansion
The nation's largest indoor mall will undergo a $2.5 billion, 10-year expansion project that will add attractions like an NHL-sized skating rink and an indoor water park.
| Jul 3, 2013
Architects team with HUD to promote 'Rebuild By Design' competition for Hurricane Sandy recovery effort
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced a communications campaign urging its membership to enter the “Rebuild by Design” multi-stage regional design competition announced by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan on June 20.
| Jul 2, 2013
LEED v4 gets green light, will launch this fall
The U.S. Green Building Council membership has voted to adopt LEED v4, the next update to the world’s premier green building rating system.
| Jul 1, 2013
Firestone Building Products Company LLC Announces Sustainability Report
Firestone Building Products Company, LLC, the leading manufacturer of superior “Roots to Rooftops” products for commercial building performance solutions, today announced the release of its 2012 Sustainability Report. The report, the first for Firestone Building Products Company, covers the fiscal 2012 year and is available for download at firestonebpco.com.
