Client : Huabang Group

Pazhou Cultural Park, located in Guangzhou, China, was originally the site of the Zhujiang Brewery Factory. As the largest brewery in Southern China, the site once featured hundreds of 40-meter-tall beer fermentation tanks supported by a series of concrete tank bases. When the design process began, the fermentation tanks had been removed, but the bases were retained. This marked the beginning of the entire cultural park design. OLIN is the design firm and Yadan Luo is the Project Manager in the design team.

We aimed to transform these fermentation tank bases into a massive urban pavilion, enriching the space with a wide range of public activities. Taking inspiration from the fermentation tanks, we designed a series of playful tanks with various functions, including climbing greenery tank, children's activity slides tank, climbing wall tank, art gallery tank, cafes tank, and public sculptures tank. These tanks were erected on top of the bases, creating individual urban public activity nodes.

Beyond the urban pavilion, we designed a central square and a botanical garden. The central square serves as a flexible gathering place, capable of hosting various cultural and festival events for the Pazhou New District. On ordinary days, it functions as a water plaza, offering water-based activities while regulating the overall microclimate. As a backdrop, a group of unique urban sculptures complements the design.

The botanical garden celebrates biodiversity, featuring indigenous plantings, lush greenery, and rest areas that create a serene and immersive natural environment. Careful plant selection encourages local wildlife to thrive and provides visitors with a year-round display of colors and textures.

Every aspect of Pazhou Cultural Park is designed with inclusivity in mind. Thoughtfully paved pathways, wheelchair-accessible amenities, and multisensory gardens ensure that everyone can enjoy the park's offerings regardless of their physical abilities. Throughout the year, the park undergoes transformations to suit each season, offering spring blossoms, summer picnics, autumn foliage, and winter festivities, providing residents with ever-changing experiences and reasons to visit.

Pazhou Cultural Park is not just a park; it is an urban oasis and a living testament to our commitment to creating spaces that nurture the mind, body, and spirit. It embodies the shared vision of a city that values its culture and history, nature, community, and the well-being of its residents. It is a true testament to the power of thoughtful design in enriching urban life. ©OLIN, Yadan Luo contributed to Pazhou Cultural Park while a landscape designer at OLIN.