In 2022, Benoy was invited to compete in a design renovation of Suzhou Lumu’s historic water streets, located in the heart of Suzhou’s cultural and industrial hub. Benoy’s masterplan focuses on protecting and the adaptive reuse of Suzhou’s historic urban areas, preserving the ancient city’s iconic double checkerboard pattern of Suzhou’s ancient city, where land and waterways run parallel, as seen in the streets and river. Traditional features like small bridges, flowing water, and whitewashed walls and tiles are maintained, promoting the comprehensive renewal of the ancient city to achieve spatial, functional, and economic revitalisation.
The 17-hectares site is divided into 16 parcels along Yuanhe Tang Water Street, to be developed in phases. The project mainly consists of low-density development, with building heights rising from north to south, organised around a planning strategy of ‘one ring, two gates, three gardens, four districts and five streets.’
Respecting the cultural heritage and fabric of the site, Benoy aims to preserve, integrate, and celebrate Suzhou’s rice history and culture while aligning with modern urban development.
