Call of the wild
The site of an abandoned mine on a mountainside near Hangzhou has been transformed into a garden, Xu Haoyu reports.
The team engaged in an intensive period of observation and exploration. They tirelessly traversed the nearby hills and ridges from dawn to dusk. Their focus was not only on the land itself, but also on understanding the natural cycles and rhythms of the environment.
They observed the changing patterns of sunlight over a year, seeking to understand the nuances of nature's processes.
The transformation of the site meant starting from scratch, clearing and rebuilding from the ground up.
The initial step involved removing the accumulated construction debris, wild grass and overgrown vegetation. They painstakingly cleared up to 4,000 cubic meters of waste. Then, several thousand cubic meters of planting soil was brought in from outside. This extensive soil transportation and landscaping continued until 2022, laying the groundwork for the garden's creation.
In addressing the potential challenges of floods and garden maintenance, Yu and Chai ingeniously created a break in the mountainside, utilizing the natural elevation difference to construct a drainage system. This system serves a dual purpose. In dry conditions, it acts as a dry creek bed, adding an aesthetic landscape feature to the garden. However, during heavy rains, it transforms into an efficient flood channel, directing the water along a predetermined path into the city's drainage system.
By reshaping the landscape, the designers not only transformed the area's aesthetics but also enhanced its safety, turning a once-dangerous site into a secure and inviting garden retreat.
