Ruian Jindi New Bund, Wenzhou

Gemdale New Bund in Ruian, Wenzhou, is a riverside public-space and residential landscape on the Feiyun River, developed by Gemdale Group's southeast Zhejiang company, with interior design by DOME&ASSOCIATES and landscape by AECOM Shanghai's Second Institute, Project Group Five. The brief was to revive a disused industrial riverfront opposite the old city as Ruian pursues its-jiang eastward expansion strategy, delivering a riverside-park lifestyle address. The design is organised around three narrative moves: recall, immerse and renew. At the entrance, white curving forms evoke boat ferries, moored above a green carpet and dotted with Chinese tallow trees, connecting the city's dockside memory to a future metropolitan lifestyle; these curves also organise arrival and direct sightlines to the gatehouse. The entry plaza uses three-tone paving in a natural rhythmic pattern, and the gatehouse's rounded corners soften the modern waterfront language. Beyond, a canyon tunnel of finely detailed cladding is lined with diamond-like light, and slender hackberry trees grow upward as if through time; an arched flying bridge then stretches across a glassy water mirror, its geometry extracted from the main building's diamond-light motif. Sloped triangular planting panels read as faceted gem cuts, casting tree shadows by day and pinpoint light by night. Descending below the second-level water plane, visitors emerge onto a broad riverside terrace facing the city skyline. The renewed promenade is a dual-coloured path for walking and cycling, animated by weekend markets and festivals; low hedges soften step edges and a green checkerboard pattern adds playfulness. A children's Cosmic Garden with space-ship motifs and an overhead gallery bridge connects the front building to the rear courtyard, while flexible seating beneath serves both children and adults. Across 17,600 square metres of site and 16,000 square metres of landscape, the project weaves crossing, time and leisure into one continuous sequence, aiming to activate the grey riverfront and set a tone for an international new district.