TIANJIN: With iconic office towers, shopping streets and even plans for driverless cars on the roads – the Tianjin Eco-City project is entering its next phase, as the focus shifts to developing its central district.
This comes after the completion of its 8 sq km start-up area – which includes industry parks, residential developments and social amenities like community centers, schools and a 350-bed hospital.
Tianjin Eco-City is the second joint project between Singapore and China and marks its 10th anniversary this year.
Bound by the Ji Canal and Central Boulevard, a 1 sq km city centre will take up about a quarter of the 4.5 sq km central district.
Expected to take shape in about five years, it will be the heart of commercial, leisure and recreational activities – with authorities hoping this can attract more businesses and talent to support future growth.
The gateway to the city centre will be located next to the Nankai Station of the upcoming Z4 rail line, which connects the eco-city to Beijing, Tianjin City and the rest of the Tianjin Binhai New Area.
Completion of the rail line is expected in 2020 and the city centre will also feature a bus interchange.
Artist impression of the new Tianjin central district. (Photo: Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co. Ltd)
A plaza at the gateway will be framed by two iconic office towers, which standing at more than 150m, will be the tallest buildings in the eco-city.
There will also be business hotels and residential buildings, as well as convention and exhibition facilities located nearby.
In line with its vision of being a “Green Smart Hub”, the city centre will be a smart low carbon footprint central business district.
Besides sky gardens and terraces, there are plans to introduce smart bus stops, as well as driverless cars and bicycles to promote the use of green transport.
A 1.2km pedestrian street will take residents and visitors from the gateway plaza through shopping streets, which will be designed with Tianjin cultural elements.
This will also lead them to the two major attractions of the city centre – the Sino-Singapore Friendship Garden, which will have a tropical greenhouse that showcases Singapore’s “City in a Garden” concept and the Sino-Singapore Friendship Library, which will be the largest library in the eco-city.
Along the way, the building heights will dip, with the design not only forming an iconic skyline but also allowing for unblocked views to the waterfront.
Artist impression of the new Tianjin central district. (Photo: Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co. Ltd)
Marking the next phase of development, Singapore National Development Minister Lawrence Wong and Tianjin Binhai New Area Party Secretary Zhang Yuzhuo officiated the launch of the city centre in Tianjin Eco City itself on Sunday.
This was also witnessed by Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean who is on a nine-day visit to China.
“Our urban planners from the Urban Redevelopment Authority have contributed valuable ideas to the design team in the conceptualisation of the city centre, bringing to the table their rich experience in urban planning and place making,” said Mr Wong.
“Close collaboration has always been key to the Eco-city project, and thus, the ‘Singapore DNA’ will also come through strongly in the city centre.”
The entire Eco-city project spans 30 sq km and aims to be a role model for sustainable development.
The number of people living or working in the Eco-city has gone up by about four times – from 20,000 in 2014, to over 80,000.
There are also about 6,500 registered companies in the Eco-city with a total registered capital of about US$33 billion.
