Page 54 - JCAU-5-3

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Envisioning rural futures

Figure 18. Plan of The Charm of the Four Capitals. Source: Courtesy of SCUT and Politecnico di Torino; reprinted (adapted) with permission from SCUT
and Politecnico di Torino; Copyright © 2020 SCUT and Politecnico di Torino

rented to large agribusinesses. The project envisages lots
from 5 to 12 hectares, for a total 3500 hectares of arable land.
While encouraging crop diversity and the preservation of
native varieties, this restructuring also promotes the use
of new agricultural technology. The plan proposes 180
greenhouses over 860 hectares, 150 vertical farms, and a
system of educational facilities, such as schools, research
centers, and laboratories. Furthermore, as visible from
Lishui Smart Valley, an innovative infrastructure for the
movement of goods and the production of green energy
connects the agricultural fields to three major logistics
hubs (Figures 16 and 17).
To save as much flatland as possible for cultivation,
the proposal locates the major constructions at the
side of the agricultural valley, close to the existing main
Figure 19. Prosperous Lishui environmental system. Source: Courtesy of
SCUT and Politecnico di Torino; reprinted (adapted) with permission mobility systems. These are upgraded with a new system
from SCUT and Politecnico di Torino; Copyright © 2020 SCUT and of sustainable mobility made up of trains and subway lines
Politecnico di Torino to reduce air pollution. Along this new transport system,
in sites such as The Wind of the Koucang Mountain, new
agriculture as the core activity, and envisions the agrarian high-density residential areas are planned, together with
valley south of Lishui as the new green center of the metropolitan facilities such as stadiums, museums, and
emerging metropolitan development. Hence, the project large hospitals. The result is an “urban ring” that encircles
combines the best features of city and countryside to the plain, and enriches the entire valley with services,
produce an urbanized agricultural landscape where new recreational areas, and activities. As visible from the urban
settlements and facilities coexist with high-tech farms and layout proposed for The Charm of the Four Capitals, this
traditional villages. In this regard, most of the flatland is urban system also connects the side-valleys, integrating
reserved for agriculture, while new developments are into the metropolitan area small settlements, forests, water
situated either along the existing mobility infrastructures basins, and terraces for rice cultivation (Figure 18). This
at the foot of the mountains, or on the slopes traditional landscape is preserved and enhanced with
(Figures 14 and 15). Based on this layout, the project small, high-quality architectures, to promote cultural
focuses on three goals: the reorganization of farmland to activities, and tourism industries.
increase agricultural production, the development of new The side valleys and the mountain slopes are also home
settlements and housing to populate the mountain slopes, to a complex and fragile ecology based on water (Figure 19).
and the preservation of the environment. In this respect, in areas such as Guyan Village Painting and
The restructuring of the farmland aims to consolidate The Relics of the Historic City, the project promotes the
smallholdings to increase output. At present, fields range construction of small dams to optimize water management
from 0.1 to 0.5 hectares in size, and much of the land is through the year, and the reinforcement of the existing

Volume 5 Issue 3 (2023) 11 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.0957