西川原名“西干渠”，全段31公里，北起黄河南岸，往南最终流入郑州牟山湿地公园，是一条农田灌溉渠道。于城市维度，西川是中牟县水系改造的示范段落，为区域性水系改造提供方向；而其贯穿理想国社区西半边区域，于未来的2万户常住居民而言，西川是生机勃勃的蛙鸣鸟叫，是四季流传的自然美好、也是亲水活力生活的日常缩影。

Xichuan, formerly known as “Xigan Canal”, has a total length of 31 kilometers. It is a farmland irrigation channel that starts from the Yellow River’s south bank and flows into Zhengzhou Mushan Wetland Park. From the urban dimension, Xichuan is a demonstration section of water system transformation in Zhongmu County, providing directions for regional water system transformation. Meanwhile, it runs through the western half of the Utopia Community. For the future 20,000 permanent residents, Xichuan implies the sound of vibrant frogs and birds, the natural beauty spread in four seasons, and the daily epitome of water-friendly and energetic life.

▼项目概览，oveview © 普罗理想国

西川的设计与落实，与理想国社区规划密不可分。社区占地4平方公里，自2013年开始，从破败荒废的农田，逐步成长为一座集生活、教育、医疗为一体，拥有优美的自然生态与丰富饱满社区生活的小型城镇。西川、东川、中央公园绿地商业综合体，经由三条绵延两公里道路串联，道路建设LID低冲击雨水花园与生物走廊，蓝绿交织，构成了理想国社区的综合生态系统与公共空间系统。西川与东川由流经这里的灌溉渠与排洪沟改建，中央公园是面积8.8万平米的中心绿肺，在国道下沉后上盖，将东西两块腹地连为一体，规划建设步行街区与商住混合空间，为居民与访客提供日常生活所需与城市目的地。

区位分析图，Map of location analysis

The design and implementation of Xichuan are inseparable from the planning of the Utopia community. This community covers an area of 4 square kilometers, and since 2013, it has gradually transformed from dilapidated farmland into a small town integrating life, education, and medical care together, with beautiful natural ecology and rich community life. The Xichuan, Dongchuan, and Central Park Greenland commercial complexes are connected in series via three two-kilometer roads. The roads are built with LID low-impact raindrop gardens and biological corridors, interlaced with blue and green belts which formed the Utopia community’s comprehensive ecosystem and public space system. Xichuan and Dongchuan are rebuilt from the irrigation canals and flood drainage ditches that flow through this place. The Central Park, with an area of 88,000 square meters, is a central green lung built after the sinking of the national highway, connecting the east and west hinterlands into a whole. A mixed commercial and residential space was under planning and construction here, providing residents and visitors with daily necessities and urban destinations.

俯瞰，aerial view© 河狸景观摄影

设计挑战与回应

DESIGN CHALLENGES AND RESPONSE

在上游灌溉渠不断的污水泄洪压力下，西川不仅面临环境改造与生态修复的重大课题，更要求这种修复具备自然永续的能量，满足经济上的可行性；

在有限腹地内，如何平衡生态与生活的关系，使西川对社区居民（尤其是两侧社区居民），具备可达性、便利性、提供滨水活动与生活商业，也需予以周全考虑，给出多角度的解决方案。

Under the pressure of continuous sewage and flood discharge from upstream irrigation canals, Xichuan not only faces major issues of environmental transformation and ecological restoration but also requires such restoration to have natural and sustainable energy and meet economic feasibility;

In the limited hinterland, we need to fully consider and give multi-angle solutions on how to balance the relationship between ecology and life, so that Xichuan can provide community residents (especially those on both sides) with accessibility and convenience for waterfront activities and life commerce.

▼西川修复段上游仍为灌溉渠形态，下游流往牟山湿地公园，The upstream of the Xichuan restoration section is still in the form of an irrigation canal, and the downstream flows to Mushan Wetland Park© 河狸景观摄影

从宏观视角出发，西川的永续性生态改善以蓝绿交织的整体生态系统为目标。在全局开发的有利条件与开发业者的大力支持下，西川有机会以前瞻性的思维，考虑公园的持续经营与维护问题。保留西川自然舒适的气氛，创造更具魅力，与生活体验业态深度融合的【河滨度假】场景，让西川公园兼具综合性社区服务属性，借此提升区域价值，创建健康的商业循环。

依据周边环境条件规划不同的空间，让生态与人群活动共存，Different spaces are planned according to the surrounding environments to let ecology and crowd activities coexist

From a macroscopic view, the sustainable ecological improvement of Xichuan aims at the overall ecological system intertwined with blue and green belts. With the favorable conditions for overall development and the strong support of developers, Xichuan has the opportunity to consider the continuous operation and maintenance of the park with a forward-looking mind. We will preserve the natural and comfortable atmosphere of Xichuan, and create a more attractive 【Riverside Vacation】 scene that is deeply integrated with life experience business, to make Xichuan Park a comprehensive community service attribute, thereby enhancing regional value and creating a healthy business cycle.

▼河滨景观，waterfront landscape©河狸景观摄影

自然永续的生态环境 NATURAL & SUSTAINABLE ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT

藉由对原生水质分析，设计针对污染源制定可持续的净化措施，首先对上流水源进行阻隔、静置、过滤，同时改变渠道形态和硬质基底，采用多孔材料，用蜿蜒姿态减缓流速。最终，西川流域面积扩展到原本的5倍以上，全流域种植水下森林，间隙性布置生态跳岛，为水流自净创造条件。

▼2018、2023场地地图变化，Site map changes between 2018 and 2023

Based on the analysis of primary water quality, we designed sustainable purification measures directed at pollution sources. Firstly, the upstream water source is blocked, allowed to stand, and filtered. At the same time, the shape of the channel and the hard base are changed, and porous materials are used to slow down the flow rate with a meandering posture. Ultimately, the Xichuan River Basin area expanded to more than five times its original size. Underwater forests were planted throughout the watershed, and ecological islands were arranged intermittently to create conditions for the self-purification of the water.

▼水边森林，forest by the river©河狸景观摄影

利用周边腹地建设总量达7万平米的河滨绿地，隔出1.7万平米的生态保护区，通过路径控制等手段，阻隔人为破坏与光污染、声污染；同时，构建杂木林与灌木丛、密林地被、草甸花境、雨水花园等等多样生境，为各级消费者动物创造食源与栖息环境。植物的四时变化是设计重点，在郑州这样四季分明的城市，力求为居住人群和拜访者带来季相美景。

We used the surrounding hinterland to build a riverside green space with a total of 70,000 square meters and isolated an ecological protection area of 17,000 square meters. It can block man-made damage, light pollution, and sound pollution through path control and other means. Meanwhile, we also grew miscellaneous trees, shrubs, and dense forests, and created various habitats such as ground covers, meadow flower borders, and raindrop gardens to provide food resources and create perfect habitats for animals at different consumer levels. The seasonal changes of plants are the focus of the design. In a city like Zhengzhou with four distinct seasons, we strive to bring the beauty of different seasons to the residents and visitors.

▼春，SPRING©普罗理想国

▼夏，SUMMER©河狸景观摄影

▼秋，AUTUMN©河狸景观摄影

▼冬，WINTER©普罗理想国

蓝带生态、河滨生境等各类要素共同作用，形成良好的循环，最大化的发挥水体生态自净能量，降低净化维护成本。黄河上游的污水、杂质，会让西川公园水域浑浊一周，但反而带来养分，被生态系统消化、吸收，留下更加丰沛的水资源，滋养整个西川。在22.07.20郑州特大暴雨的考验下，西川与理想国社区展现出缓解雨洪的能量，整个理想国无一处淹水。上游泄洪一周左右，西川就能自行恢复水质。

迄今，西川已有1.8公里陆续完成改造，其水体质量达到三类水标准。除却原生物种以外，发现20种野生花卉，12种鸟类与60余种昆虫及数种两栖类生物在此安家。河道中的物种多样性增长了30%，国家级野生保护动物“黑水鸡”在此筑巢繁殖，在整个西川极为常见。

Various elements such as blue-belt ecology and riverside habitat work together to form a nice cycle, which maximized the ecological self-purification ability of the water body and reduced the cost of purification and maintenance. The sewage and impurities in the upper reaches of the Yellow River would make the water of Xichuan Park turbid for a week, however, instead, it brings nutrients, which will be digested and absorbed by the ecosystem, leaving more abundant water resources to nourish the entire Xichuan. Under the test of the torrential rainstorm in Zhengzhou on 20th July 2022, Xichuan and Utopia communities demonstrated their ability to alleviate rain and floods, with nowhere flooding. After about a week of upstream flood discharge, Xichuan was able to restore water quality by itself.

So far, Xichuan has renovated 1.8 kilometers successively, and its water quality has reached the third-class water standard. In addition to the native species, 20 species of wildflowers, 12 species of birds, and more than 60 species of insects and several species of amphibians have made their home here. The species diversity increased by 30% in the river channel, and the national second-class protected wildlife animal, the “Black Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)” was found nesting and breeding here, which has been extremely common in the whole of Xichuan.

▼生态修复后的河道，The river after ecological restoration©普罗理想国

活力饱满的西川公园

VIBRANT XICHUAN PARK

在社区开发业者全区域掌控的优势下，设计有机会以西川生态特质出发，继而影响周边布局，让西川的生活空间，与大环境更为统一。周边的每个社区，都拥有通往西川的路径，可以便利的游憩。依据不一而足的周边环境，在尺度娟秀的西川，设计尝试创造不一样的场景与气氛，从而给西川的游逛带来更多样的趣味，创造丰富趣味，延长人们的停留时间。

With the advantage of community developers controlling the entire area, the design has the opportunity to start with the ecological characteristics of Xichuan, and then affect the surrounding layout, so that the living space of Xichuan is more unified with the environment. Every surrounding community has a path leading to Xichuan, which is convenient for recreation. According to the various surrounding environments, the design tries to create different scenes and atmospheres in Xichuan, which can bring more fun and entertainment to Xichuan’s sightseeing, and prolong people’s staying time.

▼第一段概览，section 1 overview© 河狸景观摄影

第一段｜SECTION

在第一段，更多空间留给无人的生态保护区，这里的植物品种最为丰富，种植茂密，也有着湿地生境与最大面积的生态跳岛。我们进而将社区幼儿园安排在附近，这个配置构思也启发了第一段的西川设计，生态跳岛因此增加了一条隐藏动线，可用于生态观察。幼儿园可以在这里进行户外教学，让保护生态这件事情潜移默化，深入人心。

In the first section, more space is left for the uninhabited ecological protection area, which has the most abundant and densest plant species. Moreover, there also has a wetland habitat and the largest ecological island. We further arranged the community kindergarten nearby. This configuration concept also inspired the design of the first section of Xichuan. Therefore, a hidden moving line was added to the ecological jumping island, which can be used for ecological observation. Kindergartens can also carry out outdoor teaching here so that the matter of environmental protection can be subtly influenced and deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

▼通过隐藏在植物中的步道，可以深入生态小岛内部

Through the trail hidden in the plants, you can go deep into the interior of the ecological island© 河狸景观摄影

通过层层推高的平台，不仅避免了大量人群亲水，也创造了足够的活动空间，满足各类人群各不相同的需求。平台上的建筑物经营日料餐厅，氛围安静惬意，也不会产生噪音，避免对动物造成干扰。不同动线的人们相互对望，也能看到各有趣味的景致。

The platform is pushed up layer by layer, which not only avoids a large number of people from playing in the water but also creates enough space for activities to meet the different needs of various groups of people. The building on the platform operates a Japanese food restaurant with a quiet and comfortable atmosphere and would not make noise to disturb animals. People on the different moving lines can look at each other and also see interesting scenes.

▼从生态岛望向平台，Looking at the platform from the ecological island© 河狸景观摄影

▼居民利用平台与草坪空间休憩，Residents use the platform and lawn space to rest© 河狸景观摄影

幼儿园在平台进行户外教学，Outdoor teaching on the platform conducted by Kindergarten© 河狸景观摄影

第二段｜SECTION2

第二段延续最长，在第一段的生态恢复基础下，我们希望这里能呈现最为饱满的滨水活力，结合生活商业，形成可持续经营的公共场所。“北岛”商业空间因此诞生。这里搭载游船码头、餐厅、室内外儿童游戏场、书屋café、花房、面包简餐、菜市场等等生活业态。自然休闲的生活体验辐射整个西面社区约1万户，也成为假日期间访客游览西川的核心聚集点。

The second section extends the longest area. Based on the ecological restoration of the first section, we hope that this place can present the fullest waterfront vitality and form a sustainable manageable public place combining life and commerce. Thus, the “North Island” commercial space was born. It is equipped with cruise ship docks, restaurants, indoor and outdoor children’s playgrounds, book cafés, greenhouses, bread and light meals, vegetable markets, and other life formats. The natural and leisurely life experience radiates about 10,000 households in the entire Western community and makes it become the core gathering point for visitors to visit Xichuan during the holidays.

▼第二段概览，section 2 overview© 河狸景观摄影

整个北岛活动空间由三组木屋建筑围合一个活动草坪、加上沿河岸的木平台码头组成。商业木屋由景观一并设计，以流淌的曲线与码头连接。中央草坪搭配材料、色彩、使用姿态各异的户外座椅，让使用者能随时间、人数、心情随意的组合使用，给场所带来风味丰富的趣味。活动的人们成为风景，让整体空间视角变得极为丰富。

The entire North Island event space is composed of three groups of wooden buildings enclosing an event lawn, plus a wooden platform pier along the river bank. The commercial wooden house, designed together with the landscape, connects with the pier with flowing curves. The central lawn is matched with outdoor seats with different materials, colors, and usage postures, allowing users to employ them in any combination according to time, the number of users, and mood, also bringing rich and fun experiences to the place. The active people become the scenery, which enriches the overall perspective of the space.

▼草坪激发着人们亲近自然的原始本能，使用率极高，The lawn inspires people’s primitive instinct to get close to nature and is utilized at an extremely high rate© 河狸景观摄影

▼使用的人，成为空间里的风景，让整个场地散发着舒适的气息，Users become the scenery in the space, making the whole site exude a comfortable atmosphere© 河狸景观摄影

▼搭配室内游戏，室外以“乘风破浪”的意向，设计了游船型体的游具，Coordinated with indoor games, we designed a cruise ship-shaped play device with the intention of “riding the wind and waves” outdoors© 河狸景观摄影

第二段也拥有最多数量的亲水平台，生境收放有序，既有草坪空间，也拥有茂密的挺水植物环境，桥梁以拱桥为主，借此创造不同高度的观赏与对望，增添游逛趣味。通过码头进行皮划艇游船的活动，是住户和访客十分喜爱的活动。我们将水底深度从渠道的2米缩短到0.8米，让游船活动更为安全。划行过程中，与岸边、桥上的互动，也为游船增添不一样的体验趣味。

The second section also has the largest number of hydrophilic platforms, and the habitats are arranged in an orderly manner. There are both lawn spaces and dense emergent plant environments. The bridges are mainly arch bridges to create viewing at different heights, adding fun to the sightseeing. Kayak cruises through the marina are the favorite of residents and visitors. To make river cruise activities safer we have shortened the bottom depth of the channel from 2 meters to 0.8 meters. During the rowing process, the interaction with people on the shore and the bridge also adds a different experience to the cruise.

▼拱桥、游船、平台的对望，让河川游逛更加有趣，Looking at each other from arch bridges, cruise ships, and platforms, makes river cruises more interesting© 河狸景观摄影

▼步道在绿地中蜿蜒穿梭，以不同形态和水岸联结，The trail meanders through the green space, connecting with the waterfront in different forms© 河狸景观摄影

软质透水的地面材料，对居民跑步、骑车、散步都十分友好，The soft and permeable ground material is very friendly for residents to run, cycle, and walk© 河狸景观摄影

游船时，两岸延边茂密的挺水植物，让人仿佛换到黑水鸡的视角，在植物中蜿蜒穿行，创造独特的记忆体验。夜幕降临时，可以在码头旁的巴西烧烤享受河畔烤肉自助；怡人的环境与温度也让人愿意继续停留。乘坐小船河内观影，除却电影本身，水岸丰富的生活体验更加令人难忘。

During the river cruise, the dense emergent plants on both sides of the bank make people seem to meander through the plants from the perspective of Black Moorhen, creating a unique and memorable experience. When night falls, people can enjoy the riverside barbecue buffet at the Brazilian barbecue next to the pier. The pleasant environment and cozy temperature also make people willing to stay longer. Taking a boat in the river to watch movies, apart from the movie itself, such a rich life experience on the waterfront is even more unforgettable.

▼夜晚的西川也让人们乐于停留，Night in Xichuan also makes people willing to stay© 河狸景观摄影

第三段｜SECTION3

第三段长度有限，配合两侧高层住宅，以开阔舒朗的气氛打造。设计放出大面积的草坪供居民活动使用。代表人文艺术的雕塑互动装置植入其中，与对岸休憩空间两两对望。为整个西川公园的游逛带来不一样的节奏与风景。

The third section, limited in length, is created with an open, comfortable atmosphere in line with the high-rise residences on both sides. The design arranges a large lawn area for residents’ activities. Interactive sculpture devices representing humanities and arts are implanted in it, facing each other with the rest space on the opposite bank, which brings a different rhythm and scenery to the wandering in Xichuan Park.

▼© 河狸景观摄影

装置“山风”，以锈板呼应周遭自然环境，提供一个游玩交流的空间，The installation “Mountain Breeze” echoes the surrounding natural environment with rusty panels, providing a space for entertainment and communication© 河狸景观摄影

结语SUMMARY

目前，西川周边社区已逐步交付入住，节假日的西川，接待大量人群游船游逛，呈现出持久的生命力。伴随理想国社区的日益丰富与完善，西川公司“重新构建人和自然、河流的链接，为城市带来活力和场所归属感”的目标，正在逐步实现。

At present, the communities around Xichuan have been handed over for occupancy, and welcomed large crowds of people for cruises during holidays, showing durable vitality. With the increasing enrichment and perfection of the Utopia community, Xichuan’s goal of “Rebuilding the connection between humans, nature, and rivers, and bringing vitality and a sense of belonging to the city” is gradually being realized.

▼平面图，Floor plan© 翰祥景观