In an attempt to develop an ecologically sustainable community, the Principal Government of Miyi County, Sichuan Province, China, has begun construction on Phase I of a 330-hectare town. The town’s plan has been designed by the SWA Group’s Los Angeles division on the basis of historical ecologies and cutting-edge technologies. The town has a high-density housing layout which incorporates separate commercial zones, parks and recreational facilities. To be named New South Town, the new township, with its 20,000 housing units, will provide accommodation to around 100,000 people.



The first phase of construction of the town, which started in December 2009 over an area of 90 hectares, has been planned to include riverfront parks, pedestrian paths along the existing irrigation channels, valley trails and a comprehensive plan on water quality. Towards this phase of township development, SWA has hired Los Angeles-based Studio Shift Architects to design a 18,000-square metre museum structure, a 23,000-square metre aquatic centre, a 10,000-square metre recreation centre and a 2,200-square metre landmark observation tower. As part of the comprehensive water quality improvement practice, development of sedimentation basins, wetlands and natural water filtration systems have been planned. In this regard, thousands of bio-film strips will be planted into ponds and marshes to start filtration of the natural wetlands.