Following its Vessel in New York City, Heatherwick Studio has created another eye-catching vertical park/viewing point. This time it's located in the historic city of Xi'an, China, and takes the form of a tree, with stepped petal-like terraces for visitors to explore and enjoy the view.
The Xi'an Centre Culture Business District (CCBD) is located south of the city's historic center, between the ruins of a temple and a prominent tower.
To focus on the vertical park first, which is named the Xi'an Tree, it reaches a height of 57 m (187 ft). It hosts 56 terraces, alongside cascading garden spaces. Its greenery has also been carefully chosen to represent the Silk Road route, from alpine tundra to the dry steppe, and it culminates in a rooftop garden space.
"Traveling up the vertical park that winds around its branching structure, you realize how biodiverse it is," says Heatherwick Studio. "Like a botanical garden, each section holds a unique array of plants, many of which you've never seen before. High above the pedestrians wandering on the terraces below, you see Xi'an extending before you, new and old interwoven in this lively metropolis."
The tree-like park, and indeed the design of the overall district, is inspired by Xi'an's famous Terracotta Army. During its realization, Heatherwick Studio worked with local ceramics specialists to produce over 100,000 ceramic tiles. The district's design also subtly references the roofs of the traditional Chinese temples of Xi'an.
Alongside the park, the CCBD project features apartment buildings, retail space, including malls, open plazas, offices, and hotel accommodation. Lush greenery and multiple pathways have also been created.
The project is the latest in a series of high-profile parks by Heatherwick Studio and follows the Little Island in NYC and the upcoming Cove in San Francisco.
Source: Heatherwick Studio
