DEDANG DESIGN: Winner of World Design Awards 2025. The “One Belt and Two Cores” key area urban design project in Qidu Town covers about 15.5 square kilometers, with clear functional divisions. The “One Belt” is the South Taihu Scenic Belt, extending 200 meters south along South Taihu Avenue as the ecological and landscape backbone. The “Two Cores” include the “Waterfront T-Platform Core” (from South Taihu Avenue north to Jinyu Yang along Wanghu Road and Wulou River, undertaking public services and leisure functions) and the “Rural Innovation O-Ring Core” (covering Miaogang Community, Jiangcun Cultural Park, Pujiangyuan Smart Farm and Ecological Island, promoting integrated rural development).

The project’s core vision is to become a “benchmark for ecological and cultural tourism integration around Taihu Lake” and a “model for exquisite renewal of Jiangnan water towns”. Among its four planning principles, “Exquisite Renewal” is the core concept—it aligns with Qidu’s goal of building an exquisite town, adopts an “acupuncture-like micro-renewal” model, and strictly avoids large-scale demolition and construction. Instead, it conducts detailed research on potential renewal sites, identifies key points for targeted upgrading, retains the existing street texture of Jiangnan water towns and the vibrant architectural style of towns and villages, and guides design with a “sequel-writing” perspective to achieve “small volume with great energy”.

Other principles also support this core: “Differentiated Positioning” creates a unique identity by complementing nearby waterfront areas, focusing on “China’s Jiangcun, Qidu by Taihu Lake” and “China’s First YOUNG Elderly Bay”; “Ecology First” prioritizes Taihu’s ecological protection, and avoids large-scale hardening projects; “Culture as the Soul” integrates Jiangcun, Lougang, Sinology, fishery-farming and food cultures into design, developing ” tourism + catering + festival + study” products and tourism routes.

Functionally, the South Taihu Scenic Belt (positioned as “China’s First YOUNG Elderly Bay”) integrates “Lougang-lake-wetland-shoreline” resources to create seven thematic neighborhoods (Leisure Vacation, Waterfront Market, Fragrant Residence, Rural Recreation, Outdoor Activity, Cultural Retreat, Forest Fun), forming a “visitable, livable, workable” space with clear architectural control (sloped roofs, dark colors, tile materials). The “Waterfront T-Platform” uses a “T-shaped axis” to gather commercial, residential and cultural functions, dividing into “Wulouli” (activating via pocket spaces and lanes), “Leisure Green Core” (ecological green lung with parks) and “Beautiful Village” (rural tourism integration). The “Rural Innovation O-Ring” connects resources via an “O-shaped loop”, fostering “research + health care + smart agriculture” and industrializing the “Jiangcun Culture” IP.

Key projects (e.g., Wanghu Landmark Hotel, Qidu Talent Service Center, Jiangcun Cultural Park supporting facilities) all follow the micro-renewal concept—they are laid out as point-like updates rather than large-scale construction, ensuring each project fits the existing environment and enhances functions without disrupting the original spatial pattern. Overall, the project takes ecology as the foundation, culture as the soul, and exquisite, point-like micro-renewal as the path. It avoids large-scale reconstruction, taps potential through detailed site research, and provides a model for high-quality development of small and medium-sized towns in the Yangtze River Delta.

Project Details:-
Firm
DEDANG DESIGN

Architect
Wang Junfeng

Project Name
Qidu Town Urban Design

Project Category
Urban Design (Concept)

Team
Wang Junfeng, Guo Jun, Liu Tong, Wang Yuyu

Project Location
Qujiang

Country
China

Photography ©Credit
©Dedang Design

Dedang Design is a young and creative collective that promotes sustainable urban and rural development. Based in Shanghai, Dedang’s work have been widely recognized, winning prizes such as Architizer A+ Awards, Azure AZ Awards, etc., and have been selected for prestigious exhibitions such as the 18^th Venice Architecture Biennale.

Our core members come from diverse backgrounds, which provides a comprehensive and professional service for clients and users. We firmly believe that good design is about creating the most reasonable, not the perfect, outcome within limited circumstances. Reasonable expectations, moderate design, and appropriate construction constitute our core capability and value.