The Role of an Urban Waterfront - Rethinking the Shanghai Bund

Waterfront space is an essential urban component that protects inner land and functions as an interface between nature and the built and human environments. Researching both theoretical and practical resources could be helpful in determining their prospective roles and benefits. Instead of being used solely as a public space, it should be a site that combines urban and natural environments. The Bund in Shanghai is an ideal location for studying the development of a more sustainable environment and investigating the relationship between urban and natural environments. The current Bund is in response to a row of buildings built during the period of foreign settlement and has weak connections to both the city and the river. As a first step toward reimagining its role and relationship with its surroundings, I investigate the site's design development history, site features, and people's needs. The general design direction is guided by two design principles. First, the proposed Bund is strongly associated with its history, natural environment, and urban context. Thus, the new development is inextricably attached to its location and environment. In addition, the new Bund provides more micro-spaces that people can utilize based on their activities. These spaces are interconnected, but their occupancy by different people does not conflict. The Bund's function and relationship with the urban environment, people, and nature will be redefined through the analysis and design phases.