For more than thirty years, Michael Sorkin Studio has devoted itself to both theoretical and practical projects at every scale, with a focus on urban design and ecological building.
The design for XIGING DISCTRICT in the Chinese city of Tianjin is a proposal by Michael Sorkin Studio for a functional residential area.
Vehicle access to the paths and buildings of the residential area is restricted. The emphasis is on pedestrians, and the design includes provisions for easy movement throughout the entire site.
The area is certainly urban and large enough for Michael Sorkin Studio to be able to isolate it from the surrounding districts. However, given the limited ecological awareness in its surroundings, the design includes a “green filter” across the whole site, which essentially consists of broad green swales acting as visual, natural and acoustic barriers along the “borders” of XIGING DISCTRICT.
The Michael Sorkin Studio proposal also includes commercial and recreational facilities, as well as public spaces and green areas, at the northern and southern ends of the site.
Beyond creating a beautiful, functional and pleasant environment, the architectural design of the buildings aims to make the area a design landmark and a point of interest. The buildings are “dramatic” and vary in size and in the materials used, giving the area an urban feel.
Should the opportunity arise for the project to develop further, the firm intends to include additional materials and forms to create a sense of “neighbourhood” in the individual areas, along with further commercial and artistic elements.
