Chapman Taylor masterplanning 678-hectare Songzhuang Xiaopu Artists Town near Beijing, China

Chapman Taylor is masterplanning a new urban cultural district in the largest and most well-known artists' community in China.

Home to over 7,000 artists since the 1990s, the community has a unique cultural village character which is an attraction for many visitors.

Chapman Taylor’s masterplan concept for the Songzhuang Xiaopu Artists Town creates a special urban ambience appropriate for this “Art City”, completely in synergy with the surrounding landscape.

The 678-hectare site will be focused on two new and renovated art villages, each with its own distinct character and dynamics. The art villages are connected by new urban boulevards and green belts to coordinate the currently disparate functions. The existing village is to be renovated to provide a predominantly pedestrianised system of new streets and squares.

The proposed new road system, including a ring road hosting key commercial and social functions, will help to open the new art hub to the wider region.

The project will provide a suitably vibrant cultural platform in which the art community can flourish, while also attracting international visitors.