Origin and Project Overview
Kang County, situated in Longnan City, Gansu Province, lies at the junction of Gansu, Sichuan, and Shaanxi provinces. With a population of approximately 200,000, it has historically served as a vital transportation hub linking the southwest and northwest regions and was once part of the ancient Tea Horse Road.
The project site is in the heart of Kang County, roughly 200 meters from the county government and municipal square. Two waterways, the Yanzi River and Sanguan River, converge here, flowing southward together. At their confluence stands a distinctive three-way bridge, locally known as the “Zigzag Bridge.”
The renewal project extends from Renmin East Road in the north to Renzi Bridge in the south, focusing on the commercial district along Binhe Road. Key elements targeted for revitalization include Renzi Bridge, the floating market, Binhe Road, the signal tower, and surrounding urban spaces.
Existing Conditions Before the Renewal
Prior to renovation, the area already exhibited a modest commercial vibe. The floating market, located at the northern tip, is a temporary structure spanning the Sanguan River, popular among locals for breakfast gatherings. On the west side of Binhe Road, a row of shops acts as an extension of Kang County’s main commercial street, Renmin East Road, though on a smaller scale. Additionally, scattered businesses line the east side of Sanguan River and the south side of Yanzi River.
Despite this foundation, the area faced several challenges: mixed pedestrian and vehicular traffic, fragmented commercial zones lacking cohesion, and aging buildings detracting from the urban environment.
In response, the project’s aim is to enhance the neighborhood’s environmental quality through urban renewal, creating improved leisure and retail spaces for residents. The renovation also aligns with plans to construct the Xinxinzi Bridge, envisioned as a multifunctional urban leisure and commercial space, expanding the commercial scale and linking nearby public and commercial areas to form a landmark destination.
Xinxinzi Bridge: A New Urban Corridor
The Xinxinzi Bridge serves as a central focus of the project. Previously, Renzi Bridge was a transportation bridge within the county, measuring 117 meters in length and 12 meters in width, with a 9-meter carriageway and 1.5-meter sidewalks on both sides. Built in 2003, it is also known as Yanhe Bridge.
This pedestrian bridge connects three rivers and six riverbanks, linking key public spaces including Binhe Road Commercial Street, Yanziwu Commercial Building, Municipal Square, and Kangxian Kindergarten. However, with the construction of other bridges along the river, its function as a vehicular bridge has declined significantly, while pedestrian and slow traffic have increased.
The owner envisioned transforming the bridge into a pedestrian-friendly space that not only facilitates crossing but also connects to Binhe Road’s commercial street, serving as a convenient market during mornings and evenings. The new bridge is also intended to be iconic, becoming a landmark and symbol of Kang County.
Inspired by the historic Longfeng Bridge, an ancient covered bridge in Kang County and a provincial cultural heritage site, the architect decided to transform the pedestrian bridge into a covered corridor bridge. This design pays homage to Kang County’s rich history as a transportation hub on the Tea Horse Ancient Road and aligns with the concept of combining transportation and leisure functions.
The new corridor bridge preserves the original structure while adding new buildings atop the deck. The layout follows the existing bridge alignment, featuring a 9-meter width, a roof height of 7.2 meters at the highest point, and a 3.2-meter eave height to allow fire truck passage. The roof has a dual-pitched design.
From a cross-sectional perspective, the bridge’s central area remains open for pedestrian traffic and can serve as a temporary market or performance venue. Seating is provided along both sides inside the corridor, as well as outside, catering to diverse viewing preferences.
The original sidewalks and white marble balustrades on both sides of the bridge have been retained, preserving historical memory and providing pedestrians the option to bypass the interior of the covered bridge for quicker crossing—especially practical when markets or events occupy the bridge interior. The bridge deck has been repaved, and original traffic signs have been creatively transformed into ground markings.
The bridge’s main structure is crafted from wood, consuming approximately 160 cubic meters and sequestering around 144 tons of carbon. The portal frame forms the structural backbone at the roof’s peak, with angled supports on side columns. The frame is mainly constructed from Douglas fir laminated wood sections connected by six glued laminated components.
To enhance the columns’ visual volume and provide space for drainage and lighting, each is clad on both sides with 50mm thick red cedar plywood. This treatment enriches the structural texture and offers protection to the main frame.
The corridor bridge comprises three wings converging at the center to create a large open space. Here, the portal frame transitions into a single-sided “single person” structure, supported by tree-shaped steel columns holding inwardly curved triangular steel beams. This tree-like column acts as the visual focal point inside the bridge, drawing visitors’ attention from all three entrances.
A skylight crowns the roof ridge, featuring colored glass that transitions from red to blue, symbolizing the passage of time. This colored light filters into the interior, creating an enchanting ambiance. To enhance transparency, the main beam at the ridge is replaced by secondary beams on either side, resulting in a lighter roof appearance. The roof exterior is clad in galvanized steel sheets, evoking traditional blue tile textures while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic.
The bridge facade includes several independent small rooms with varied shapes and window orientations. Some overlook the floating market, while others face the rocky riverbank. These rooms serve as framing elements and provide independent rest and activity spaces, offering flexible options for future uses. Their diverse forms break the corridor bridge’s rhythm, adding interest and variety.
Detailing of the corridor bridge draws inspiration from the historic Dragon and Phoenix Bridge. The entrance features an “Eight Character Gate” design, narrow inside and wider outside, welcoming visitors gracefully. On the ceiling, beams and panels are distinguished through varied materials and colors, echoing the Longfeng Bridge’s ceiling treatment and adding rhythm to the space.
For nighttime lighting, the corridor bridge is designed to serve multiple functions: passage, market, rest, and appreciation. Lighting is layered accordingly: downward lights illuminate the walkway, subtle uplighting guides the eye upward, and stronger lights accentuate the roof’s rhythm. Exterior lighting softly washes the facade without roof illumination, while colored skylight windows emit internal light, creating a harmonious glow. Efforts are made to conceal fixtures within the wooden structure for a “light without source” effect, though this concealment is not yet fully realized due to budget and time constraints.
Commercial Streets and Floating Markets: Enhancing Space to Increase Value
Binhe Road Commercial Street and the adjacent floating market face several challenges: 1) pedestrian and vehicle traffic mix, causing conflicts between traffic and leisure; 2) commercial activity is mainly on the west side, while the floating market on the east exhibits a significant height difference, disrupting enclosure and cohesion; 3) the commercial street is short and lacks scale; 4) the street lacks variation and public open spaces, limiting opportunities for community events.
The design addresses these issues comprehensively. First, the segment of Binhe Road between Renmin East Road and Renzi Bridge has been converted into a pedestrian street, relocating the bus stop to the area’s periphery—this creates the foundation for commercial revitalization.
New buildings were added along the east side of the street to balance the existing shops on the west, expanding rental space and enhancing the street’s spatial enclosure. These new two-story structures, positioned between the floating market and Xinxinzi Bridge, maintain fire safety distances while creating a vertical interface with the western shops and market.
A new pedestrian bridge was constructed at the northern entrance of the commercial street, connecting the second-floor passage of existing shops on the west with an eastern staircase. The bridge’s fencing and roof form a distinctive entrance landmark, while stairs and the bridge channel foot traffic to second-floor shops, greatly improving occupancy of previously vacant upper-level retail spaces.
The facades of both the floating market and the shops facing the street have been refreshed. The floating market’s formerly cluttered second-floor facade is now unified with white acrylic grille panels, creating a cleaner appearance. The two-level shop passage railings on the west side have been updated with white perforated panels, which also serve as new signage locations.
Additional columns have been added beneath the elevated walkway to reinforce its structure, supporting increased pedestrian traffic on the second floor. These columns contribute a horizontal rhythm to the street and complement materials of the new buildings.
Two small plazas have been built at the northern and southern ends of the commercial street. The northern plaza, adjacent to the floating market’s west facade, features broad steps addressing the height differences between shops and the street, creating additional standing and seating space for visitors. It also serves as an open public area for events and performances.
The southern plaza connects Xinxinzi Bridge, the telecommunications tower, Yanziwu Commercial Building, and Municipal Square. It offers popular photo spots with views of the river and bridge. Early designs included a staircase to the riverfront platform, enhancing connections between river landscapes, commercial areas, and the pedestrian bridge, forming a dynamic three-dimensional experience.
The commercial street’s paving has been upgraded by removing curbs, leveling the road, and replacing asphalt with stone paving. Embedded bronze plaques share Kang County’s history and culture, inviting visitors to learn and engage while exploring the area.
Lighting design incorporates multiple nighttime modes—festival, holiday, weekday, active, and elegant—to suit various atmospheres and user needs. The lighting scheme coordinates with building illuminations, for example, the floating market’s dynamic exterior lighting complements the flashing signal tower, collectively enhancing the street’s lively commercial ambiance.
The Signal Tower: A New Landmark
Located at the southern end of the commercial street, northwest of the pedestrian bridge, the signal tower is the tallest structure in the area and among the tallest in Kang County. However, its large industrial form contrasts with the street’s commercial character, posing a challenge for integration without disrupting its function.
To address this, the designers applied a simple yet artistic solution: the original steel frame remains, with red triangular acrylic panels installed within the lower quarter of the tower. This treatment preserves operational integrity by avoiding excessive wind resistance and load, while softening the tower’s industrial appearance to harmonize with the renewed commercial street and pedestrian bridge.
At night, the signal tower becomes a prominent visual landmark rather than blending into the background. Floodlights softly illuminate its structure, while RGB LED lights programmed to flash at midnight create a captivating spectacle. Additionally, an interactive sensor allows visitors to influence the lighting, adding an engaging dimension. This vibrant lighting enhances the commercial atmosphere and fosters emotional connections with the community.
Conclusion
Kang County typifies many western Chinese county towns: after 30 years of development, it features a modern yet characterless urban environment. Commercial streets are functional but lack distinction and engaging experiences, failing to attract visitors, especially younger generations.
This project aims to revitalize the county through spatial improvements, enhancing the neighborhood environment, creating vibrant commercial and leisure atmospheres both day and night, and developing landmark architectural features. These efforts not only improve local quality of life but also attract external attention and resources, injecting new vitality into this western county town.
Project Drawings
△ Corridor Bridge Generation Diagram
△ Bridge axonometric drawing
Explosion diagram on the △ axis side
△ North elevation of commercial street and floating market
△ South elevation of commercial street and floating market
Project Details
Location: Kang County, Longnan City, Gansu Province
Owner: Kang County People’s Government
Urban and Architectural Design: Sanwen Architecture / He Wei Studio
Lead Architect: He Wei
Team Members: Chen Long, Wang Ziyi, He Xingchen, Liu Hao, Yu Zhoujie, Zhang Xiaolin
Construction Drawing Design (excluding Xinxinzi Bridge wooden structure): Xi’an University of Technology Planning and Architectural Design Institute Co., Ltd
Xinxinzi Bridge Wooden Structure Special Design: Linlang Manmu
Lighting Design: Beijing Huaqing Andi Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Lighting Design Team: Li Dawei, Hou Mingyu, Ma Longxiao, Zhou Zhe, Ma Pinxiao
Main Contractor: Gansu Tianchen Construction Engineering Investment Group Co., Ltd
Xinxinzi Bridge Wooden Structure Construction: Jiangxi Guojin Green Building Technology Co., Ltd
Land Area: 16,000 square meters
Total Construction Area: 7,600 square meters
Design Period: 2022–2023
Completion Date: December 2023
Photography: Jin Weiqi (School of Humanities and Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology), San Wen Architecture, He Xingchen, He Wei
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