Ribbon Dance Park
TROP are the leading landscape architects for the Ribbon Dance Park project in China, “a transitional public park that slowly draws visitors into a fully immersive landscape experience.”
In the Quijang New District of Xi’an City, The Grand Milestone Art Centre is set to be a sales gallery and clubhouse for future development in the same plot.
Ribbon Dance Park in Xi’an, China.
To the west of the site, an incomplete pedestrian bridge crossing the highway hindered a seamless pedestrian connection within the district.
TROP convinced their client to invest in a new public park and pathways, with the empty green corridor bordering the site’s northern edge an opportune platform.
In their design, “a meandering ribbon-like boardwalk reconnects the existing but desolate footbridge with this new development and the city’s pavement network, enlivening the district once again.”
TROP describe the boardwalk as, “similar to a curving white brush stroke on a lush green canvas.”
Today, The Ribbon Boardwalk forms a, “long green corridor [that] acts as the development’s front yard”, and Ribbon Dance Park is widely used by local communities across the highway.
The lengthy boardwalk extends above a new driveway entrance, winding to create rooms and lookouts. Its lack of steps provides accessibility, and its all-white, simplistic design gives an elegant impression.
Native grasses and cedar trees extend through the gaps in the balustrades, offering a, “dynamic landscape which changes its forms and colours all year round.”
The Gallery Arrival Court features a roundabout made from tiny aluminium plates floating together to wrap around exposed columns.
A reflecting pool with a focal ‘lonely dancer’ tree uses natural light during the day to create reflective patterns, and the spheric volume is illuminated from below at night.
The design presents a totally seamless connection between the architecture, interior spaces, and landscape that are all specially made for one another.
A fully enclosed Water Courtyard and Art Gallery features a series of multi-level waterfalls, a straight path through a reflective pool, and several groups of trees.
The indoor gallery has been given extra courtyards to allow for more natural light; 18 Sapium trees planted through these six gardens give a painting-like backdrop to various indoor exhibitions.
The result is, “the totally seamless connection between the architecture, interior spaces, and landscape that are all specially made for one another.”
The Magical Forest, inspired by interconnected blobs of paint, features undulating grassy mounds that bleed into the entire space.
The paths in between are gravel to maximise water retention in the dry climate, and deciduous trees with light foliage create a sparse forest and filter sunlight.
A flat roof on the sheltered parking has been turned into a Rooftop Monet’s Garden, inspired by the dappled colour of his paintings.
The Grand Milestone Art Centre is set to be a sales gallery and clubhouse.
Not only does this help cool the parking area and rooms below, but the meticulous planting design offers contrasting textures and colours year-round.
Winter-tolerant ornamental grasses have been interspersed throughout, with evergreen grasses, perennial shrubs and trees in selected spots as accents.
Simple garden paths form a complete loop, and three circular seating spaces provide outdoor rooms for visitors.
The park aims to be ‘a transitional public park that slowly draws visitors into a fully immersive landscape experience.”