Our public realm landscape design for Guangzhou Metro Line 11 was the winning result of an international architectural competition; a project that redefines what metro infrastructure can mean for a city and its communities. The design sought to provide clarity to nine new station locations as they emerge at ground level into the public realm with scattered entrances, vent shafts, fire exits and vertical circulation. Our approach was simple: consolidate and componentise the assets, while giving as much space back as possible for high quality public realm and landscaping.

So often these spaces are forgotten, harsh, and utilitarian – even fenced off – but our design transformed them into vibrant community gathering places. Where metro infrastructure once contributed little to local life, by freeing up space for landscaping, these nine stations now offer welcoming destinations; places to pause, socialise, and engage with nature. Shaded seating areas, generous planted zones, and thoughtfully designed circulation routes invite people to linger, creating a network of neighbourhood spaces woven into the rhythm of daily life.

The landscape strategy brings pockets of nature to the heart of the city, setting sculptural landforms against softened, green edges that dissolve the hard utilitarian character typical of transit infrastructure. Permeable surfaces, water-sensitive design elements and carefully considered planting reduce ambient temperatures and enhance the local micro-climate. These green interventions directly support Guangzhou’s ‘sponge city’ ambitions, mitigating the urban heat island effect and improving air quality, while simultaneously creating spaces that provide a calm retreat from the city.

Underpinning the design is a system of standardised yet flexible components, developed to address the variety of assets across the metro line’s surface level with both consistency and adaptability. This componentised approach allowed for a coherent design language across multiple and varying asset types, reducing visual bulk while unlocking new habitable spaces at street level. The result is a series of landscaped spaces wrapped around the heavy infrastructure of the metro, that give back instead of taking away. They provide Guangzhou and its people irrespective of using the metro system, places that soften the city’s edge, strengthen community, and restore a connection to nature within the urban fabric.

Project name: Guangzhou Metro Line 11 Public Realm

Project Type: Landscape and Architecture

Year of construction: 2025

Country of the development: China

GoogleMaps tag: Multiple locations across Guangzhou. i.e. 23.104417279695443, 113.26320431599

Multiple locations