Margie Ruddick Landscape - Projects - Shillim Institute & Resort

living water

Living Water Park
Chengdu, Sichuan, China

The many miles of waterfront along the Fu and Nan rivers, which encircle Sichuan's capital city of Chengdu, have long been tainted by the degraded quality of the rivers' water. Within this newly created waterfront open space system, the six-acre Living Water Park serves as an educational and inspirational model, demonstrating how water can be cleansed through biological means.

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The aquatic plants in the constructed wetlands metabolize contaminants such as heavy metals, removing them from the water path.

Using a permeable granite and grass paving structure, these river terraces allow the river water to rise and fall within the park. The terraces also allow visitors to get right down to the water.

The constructed wetlands perform an important environmental function. They also create a civic landscape, with paths and boardwalks that allow visitors to disappear into the green within this congested city of 10 million people.

The park is composed of a series of open spaces, constructed wetlands, and river terraces that filter water that as been pumped up from the river.

This park is one of the first parks in China to showcase native plants.