A Waterway City Rooted in Nature and Renewal
Nestled away from the urban sprawl of Guangdong’s bustling cityscape, the Yingde Shuibian Masterplan envisions a tranquil riverside town built on principles of ecological harmony, cultural authenticity, and sustainable tourism.
Spanning over 3.77 million square meters, the plan transforms the site’s natural isolation into a defining strength—positioning the development as a respite destination for those seeking peace, wellness, and immersive nature. This is not a city of spectacle, but a place of reflection—where waterways, landscapes, and human-scaled design converge to support both environmental stewardship and long-term regional vitality.
Location
Guangdong, China
Completion
–
GFA
3,770,432 sqm
Client
Yingde Shuibian
Services
Masterplanning
A Waterway-Centric Urban Village
At the heart of the Yingde Shuibian Masterplan lies a vision of urban life in harmony with water. Cradled between two meandering rivers, the masterplan adopts a fabric of compact, walkable blocks that follow the terrain’s gentle contours and water flow.
The layout is designed to celebrate the waterways as both ecological assets and social lifelines—channeling movement and defining the rhythm of everyday life.
The district is structured around a porous network of canals, promenades, and green corridors, weaving water into the civic realm. Urban blocks are deliberately positioned to maintain views toward the river, while their inward-facing courtyards foster micro-communities. The mix of mid-rise residential and cultural facilities reinforces this pedestrian-first, water-adjacent identity.
The architectural language draws inspiration from traditional riverfront towns, reinterpreted with contemporary proportions and materials. Earth-toned facades and red-tiled roofs echo regional character while integrating systems for drainage, shading, and ventilation. Bridges and pocket plazas along the canals encourage interaction and connection.
This masterplan positions Yingde Shuibian as a poetic reflection of place—where the waterways connect life, culture, and nature.
A Landscape-Driven Waterway Community
The Yingde Shuibian Masterplan exemplifies a holistic approach to integrating landform, ecology, and tourism development within a mountainous and riverine context. The layout carefully follows the terrain and waterways, resulting in a town shaped by its topography. The red-outlined boundaries denote the different planning zones, with built-up areas clustered around key landscape axes while preserving the surrounding green spaces.
At the core of the strategy lies an “S”-shaped green corridor, functioning both as a visual axis and ecological spine. This axis connects three major zones: the civic and service core, the classic health resort village, and the holiday tourism destination. These nodes are strategically placed to enhance views, pedestrian flow, and accessibility via a looped road system. River crossings and gentle elevation transitions are carefully calibrated to support a seamless and scenic travel experience through the town.
Designed with sustainability in mind, the masterplan avoids overdevelopment and instead focuses on maximizing land value through balanced land use. The integration of nature—such as wetland buffers, green infrastructure, and preserved woodlands—reinforces the project’s commitment to environmental protection while creating a tranquil, health-oriented living and tourism environment. Ultimately, Shuibian positions itself as a new model of eco-cultural tourism, celebrating the harmony between water, land, and people.
Zoning and Landscape Integration
This detailed zoning diagram and perspective illustration reinforce the Shuibian Masterplan’s strong connection between land use, topography, and riverway ecology. The masterplan divides the new town into functional zones—residential, mixed-use, commercial, hotel, cultural, and reserve—each with thoughtful adjacencies to ensure spatial efficiency and community vitality. The central city core (in pink) is positioned as a vibrant hub, seamlessly linked to surrounding zones via arterial roads and riverside promenades.
The key organizing element is the sinuous S-shaped river, which not only defines the visual and spatial axis of the entire development but also anchors a continuous green corridor. The linearity of this passage ties together public parks, civic squares, and cultural zones, forming an uninterrupted chain of natural and urban experiences. River-crossing bridges connect the three primary clusters—resort, city center, and wellness retreat—establishing a closed-loop traffic and pedestrian system for optimal circulation and access.
This composition of zoning and green infrastructure ensures that all districts are never far from nature. Visual corridors are maintained across low-density and open spaces, while dense mid-rise developments closer to the river benefit from cooler microclimates and scenic views. Together, the map and render illustrate how landscape becomes both an organizing spine and a shared amenity, shaping Yingde Shuibian into a livable and cohesive waterway city.
Hillside & Tea Farm Living
This segment of the Yingde Shuibian Masterplan highlights the harmonious interplay between nature, agriculture, and lifestyle within two particular zones: the Hillside Retreat and the Tea Farm Landscape. Positioned along the riverbanks and gently rising terrains, the Hillside area features a curated arrangement of low-rise buildings and community spaces nestled among lush greenery. The architecture adopts vernacular forms and earthy tones, reinforcing a deep connection to the surrounding ecology while ensuring a soft visual impact on the landscape.
The Tea Farm Landscape (zone b) offers a unique rural-urban interface where modern housing clusters are embedded within actively cultivated slopes. These terraces not only preserve the agricultural heritage of the region but also provide immersive, scenic experiences for both residents and visitors. Carefully spaced housing with green rooftops, organic facades, and intimate village-like paths cultivates a tranquil, health-focused lifestyle rooted in place.
Together, these areas reflect the masterplan’s ethos of integrating built form with the natural setting—offering a model of regenerative development that balances density with breathing space. The riverside road and stepped terrain offer panoramic views, while the low-impact construction preserves the hillside’s biodiversity. This approach turns the terrain into a living tapestry, where each element—architecture, landscape, water, and agriculture—coexists in a rhythm of renewal and respect for the land.
In essence, the Yingde Shuibian Masterplan presents a poetic vision of a contemporary waterway city—one that honors its natural topography, cultural roots, and ecological heritage. By intertwining rivers, terraces, and compact neighborhoods, the plan offers a model for future urbanism that is as sustainable as it is soulful. Whether through vibrant civic centers, tranquil tea landscapes, or lush waterfronts, the development prioritizes slow living, human connection, and environmental stewardship. Yingde Shuibian stands not just as a place to live, but as a living framework where nature and community thrive in harmony.
PARTICULAR MASTERPLAN:
– City Centre
– Hotel
