CAPSTONE STUDIO Han Zhang UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM—TONGJI UNIVERSITY, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE This Capstone project envisions a new urban river paradigm through a research- and analysis-based site plan. The project summarizes the existing urban river paradigm and its issues on St. Paul’s westside river valley. It then proposes a new paradigm and approach strategies through changing scale in both planning and design. The new paradigm highlights a water-centric urban future by providing a comprehensive, flexible water system that will rejuvenate urban river floodplain hydro-social space and drive urban development. Rejuvenating urban river floodplain hydro-social space is one of the main goals of the new urban river paradigm. This hydro-social space reestablishes the natural connection between people and water by designing for hydrologic changes, ecological habitat, and new public spaces. There is a close relationship between the river and urban development. Rivers or water bodies in general bring huge benefits to a city. The river is a potential clean water resource as well as an important transportation corridor that directly links to econoic value and city growth. Other recreation values have also become more noticeable. The abundant natural resources in floodplain areas also provide an ideal settlement environment for people. Regardless of whether the river is natural or artificial, the urban river relationship is an important factor in urban development. The urban river management paradigm directly influences urban development and, through a series of connections, has tremendous impact on economic, ecological, and social systems.
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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AT MINNESOTA