Yinchuan is the capital of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China and a major transportation, logistics, and tourism hub in western China. Named “Star City – Water City,” the proposed master plan for this central business district incorporates proven urban planning principles, geometric symbols, and natural environments to create a new standard for an international business environment.
Inspired by the Chinese national flag, the plan uses a five-pointed star to organize the new central business district. Each point of the star represents a city function: business, conferences, leisure, local culture, and world culture. The star is then rotated and overlaid to form a ten-pointed star geometry, symbolizing the graphic motifs found in the handicrafts of the Hui people in western China. The overlapping stars not only represent the fusion of Han and Hui cultures but also create a dynamic spatial organization tool that integrates all city functions into a cohesive whole.
Creative water systems are the main design element of the public spaces. Canals and water features weave through the central business district, bringing nature into the new urban environment. Xiao Xi Lake forms the natural boundary on the west and south sides of the central business district, preserving a series of parks and providing corresponding public facilities.
