Nanchang Fish Tail Park

In the city of Nanchang, within the Yangtze River flood plain in east-central China, we transformed a 126-acre badly abused landscape into a dreamlike floating forest that regulates storm water, provides habitat for wildlife, offers an array of recreational opportunities and gives local residents a new way to connect with nature. All of this lent a unique identity to the New District and served as a catalyst for urban development in the surrounding area. Fish Tail Park offers a replicable model of designed urban nature for regions with monsoon or variable climates that can address the multiple challenges of floods, habitat restoration and recreational demands. The project is part of a larger effort by the landscape architect to show that it is possible to open up new space in cities not just for people, but also for nature and for the powerful forces, like monsoon storms, that drive critical natural processes.