Shangri-La Urban Design

This site is located near the north-western tip of the Yunnan Province, near the border with Sichuan. It serves as a new activity centre, complementing the existing Old Town just 600m away where a devastating fire in 2014 destroyed a significant part of it. Likened to having been birthed from a lotus petal descended from Songzanlin Monastery in the north, it was positioned as a low-density, extensively pedestrianized tourist centric New Town Centre that serves as a regional gateway, welcoming visitors from the south.

Envisioned as an economically sustainable authentic tourist attraction of local everyday life, it offers unique commercial centres, featuring fabrication and sale of local heritage products under one roof that support local employment and raise awareness of local industry and culture. The integration of function and culture is ultimately enhanced by the post-modern architectural interpretation of indigenous traditional Tibetan design.