A city's resilience is defined not only by its history but by its ability to adapt and thrive. How does a city, then, steeped in ancient culture and tradition make its mark on the global sports stage? Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in southwestern China, navigates this delicate balance by weaving a compelling narrative. With a heritage rich in Chinese tea culture, painting, poetry and music, and deep roots in the ancient Shu civilisation and Taoist philosophy for over 4,500 years, Chengdu boldly steps into the future. By embracing its historical and cultural legacy while forging a path in global sports, the city hosted the 31st Chengdu FISU World University Summer Games in 2023, establishing itself as a renowned destination for international sports events.

To celebrate this dual identity, the Dong’an Lake Sports Centre was conceived by Germany-based gmp Architekten as an "ensemble of louvred metal artefacts in nature," establishing itself as a landmark in the heart of the city’s Longquan District. Chengdu’s urban vision is further realised by the Dong’an Lake Sports Park Bridge designed by local practice Atelier Sizhou, to probe the boundaries of connectivity and link the main stadium design with the aluminium-clad blocks of the aquatics centre, multi-purpose gymnasium and multi-ball game gymnasium of the sports centre.

Sited in the easternmost part of Chengdu, an area marked by farmlands with a few residential and industrial buildings a decade ago, the Dong’an Lake Sports Park Landscape Corridor and its connecting bridge have emerged in a rapidly developing district near the natural boundary of Longquan Mountain. “It is quite far from the traditional cultural centre of Chengdu, reflecting the aggressive eastward development of the city,” the design team tells STIR, adding that the bridge plan and height were under stringent restrictions, including the connection points with each building of the centre. This careful consideration ensured that the bridge not only met practical requirements but also harmoniously morphed with the sports complex and its context.

Atelier Sizhou’s bridge design enhances the traffic flow of the sports architecture by connecting the stadiums and gyms through a cantilevered spine extending from the terraces. This descending pathway spirals down to the children's playground, creating an enclosed central space that offers a sense of safety and comfort. Xianshu Jin and Jia Liu, the founders of Atelier-Sizhou, designed platforms at varying heights within the bridge to offer optimal vantage points, while the entrances and exits open up into expansive areas. The design allows the pedestrian bridge to offer a variety of spatial and visual experiences, inviting visitors to pause, observe and interact with the surrounding public space.

Reminiscent of the tail of a Chinese dragon soaring above the sports centre, the bridge features a 1000mm thick box girder resting over hexagonal, V-shaped steel columns which span up to 20-30 metres. The outer white steel structure encases an inner skin fabricated in two 3mm rhombic punched plates and asphalt paving in a striking orange colour. “We chose vibrant colours to reflect the vitality of FISU games,” the studio shares. This intervention makes the bridge a dynamic focal point, contrasting against the minimalist cuboidal blocks of the Dong’an Lake Sports Centre.

During the day, the white steel sheets reflect the orange hues of the bridge and the surrounding green, giving it a lighter appearance. However, at night, the Chinese architecture transforms into a luminous beacon. The lighting design, strategically deployed between two steel plates of the bridge’s inner skin, creates a warm layer of illumination that highlights its striking, fluid form.

The Chinese architects designed the bridge considering its accessibility and engagement for the public even after the conclusion of the FISU Games. “The bridge should remain accessible and potential commercial use was considered from the beginning of the design. To achieve this, the branching was designed for people to stay and for use by vendors or pop-up shops,” Atelier Sizhou adds. These elevated pulpits offer unobstructed views of the sports ground spread throughout the public park.

Previous projects published on STIR which feature inventive bridge designs include Höweler + Yoon's Moongate Bridge in Shanghai, a pedestrian bridge inspired by the traditional Chinese moon gates; Jiangxi River Bridge in Sichuan, China by Zaha Hadid Architects, upheld by a symmetrical pair of steel arches; and Michael Maltzan Architecture’s Ribbon of Light as a 3,500 ft structure crowning the new Sixth Street Viaduct in Los Angeles, USA.

Project Details

Name: Dong‘an Lake Sports Park Bridge of Chengdu FISU World University Games
Location: Chengdu World Universiade Park, Sichuan, China
Client: CR LAND West China Region
Architect: Xianshu Jin and Jia Liu
Design Team: Liu Jiayin, Du Hongling, Qin Qingke, He Yan, Jiang Jialin
Structural Design: Sichuan Provincial Architectural Design and Research Institute (SADI)
Lighting Designer: Lichtvision Design
Year of Completion: 2022