△ Aerial view
Yunyang, a county in Chongqing, is located at the heart of the Three Gorges Reservoir region. The county town lies on the southern slope of Longjiling, along the northern bank of the Yangtze River. A new tourist service center is planned along the riverside greenway to support leisure activities for residents.
The development involves enclosing a small river bay downstream from Yunyang Port on the Yangtze River to serve as the base for the service center. Unlike the grand Xiajiang River, this bay—known as Xiaowan—is tranquil and features unique natural landscapes. The north and east banks, as well as the downstream riverbank, are composed of natural cliffs that plunge directly into the water.
The greenway is planned to follow the top of these cliffs downstream of Xiaowan. On the west bank and upstream side, the slopes gradually extend into the river and are being transformed into engineered embankments and revetments. The top of these embankments will serve as an upstream greenway in the future. The embankment will extend in a roughly straight line from upstream to the cliffs on the east bank, effectively cutting off the connection between Xiaowan and Dajiang. Even without this enclosure, Xiaowan would become a stagnant pool.
Where the embankment meets the cliff, there is a significant height difference—the greenway atop the embankment lies over ten meters lower than that on the cliff. Bridging this vertical gap presents a challenging design problem.
The design focuses on preserving Xiaowan, situating the service center on its west bank. The building acts both as the terminus of the river embankment and an extension of the cliff, continuing its vertical form toward the riverbank protection. It completes the enclosure of the small bay, finalizing the embankment project.
△ Overlapping of upper and lower squares
The portion of the service center that extends from the embankment is fully hollowed, creating a lower-level square with a roof aligned to the embankment’s top. This square marks the endpoint of the embankment greenway. An outdoor staircase on the north side connects this lower square to the cliff-top greenway, flanked by general service spaces on either side.
The roof of the lower square, combined with the adjacent service spaces, forms an upper-level square that serves as the starting point of the cliff-top greenway. The Binjiang Greenway leverages the service center to manage the height difference from embankment to cliff, while the building’s public nature is enhanced by this open urban space.
Across the river lies a roughly symmetrical mountain range, offering a strong visual and commemorative backdrop. The river’s upstream and downstream views are particularly scenic, with distant mountains softened by mist into muted blue-gray cones. The service center’s plan is abstracted from nearby roads and cliffs, forming an isosceles triangle with its apex pointing toward the mountains across the river, giving the building a clear directional orientation.
△ View pointing towards the upper square and opposite mountain range
The outdoor staircase connecting the lower-level square to the cliff-top greenway
The design emphasizes geometric clarity, giving the service center a distinct and recognizable visual identity. The abstraction of geometric forms lends the building strength, allowing it to stand in visual balance with the majestic Xiajiang River and assert its role as a key public element within the city.
Highlighting the strong horizontal architectural form
Geometry of internal structure
View back towards the corridor connecting the lower square and large steps
The upper square of the tourist service center faces three open sides, perched on the riverbank and aligned with the central axis of the mountains across the river, establishing a formal connection. This open square invites visitors to embrace the breathtaking scenery opposite, magnifying the grandeur of the Xiajiang River.
Spanning nearly 100 meters in depth, the area before and behind the square creates a ceremonial procession towards the mountains, enhancing the commemorative experience of the landscape. The expansive canopy and supporting structure form a giant landscape frame that covers much of the sky and directs visitors’ gaze both upstream and downstream, highlighting the misty mountains and river vistas.
The grand opening on the building facade facing the lower square
△ Decomposition of depth of field for facade openings
The lower-level square pointing toward the central axis of the opposite mountain
View downriver from the lower square
The site is where natural and man-made environments intersect, creating a rich and complex context. The architecture reintroduces order by integrating these contrasting elements, forging a tangible connection with its surroundings.
The Xiajiang Mountains and waters offer different aesthetic experiences from upstream and downstream perspectives. The service center establishes multiple viewing points with varied atmospheres, fostering a dynamic engagement with the landscape.
The building asserts itself as a crafted object, creating a subtle dialogue with the surrounding natural elements and forming a metaphysical connection. Through this interaction, the Yunyang Riverside Greenway Tourist Service Center successfully interprets its site and context, asserting its unique presence.
The juxtaposition of the service center with the cliff
Design Drawings
△ General layout plan
△ First floor plan
△ Underground floor plan
△ Underground second floor plan
△ Elevation drawing
△ Section diagram
Project Information
Project Type: Public Buildings
Location: Yunyang, China
Architectural Design: Dashe Architectural Design Firm
Area: 9,011 m²
Year: 2019
Photography: Ziran Architecture
Design Team: Chen Yifeng, Liu Yichun, Gao Lin, Song Chongfang, Wang Xuepei
Structure and Electromechanical Design: China Machinery United Engineering Co., Ltd
Engineers: Liu Zhengrong, Zeng Xiaolei, Jiang Hui, Jing Qizeng, Liao Jianbao, Yi Xiaoqi, Zhang Fafa, Zhang Dan, Li Yubin, Tian Xuegang, Shen Shiping
Owners: Yunyang County Immigration Bureau, Yunyang County Urban Development Investment (Group) Co., Ltd
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