Green Island Saldhigga Korrontada Magaalada by Xudong Zhu

Green Island Saldhigga Korrontada Magaalada by Xudong Zhu is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award in Naqshadeynta Qaab-dhismeedka, Dhismaha iyo Qaab-dhismeedyada Competition Category.

NaxaasQaab-dhismeed· 2025

Green Island Saldhigga Korrontada Magaalada

by Xudong Zhu

Client: T.e.n

Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award Winner in Qaab-dhismeed Category

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Colors

The Design

About Green Island Saldhigga Korrontada Magaalada

Saldhigga korrontada wuxuu isku darsaday naqshadeyn waarta iyo shaqo magaalo oo dib u qeexaya kaabayaasha hoosyimaadka dadweynaha. Wejiga laba-laambood wuxuu leeyahay looxyada qorraxda koonfurta iyo bari si loo gaadho hufnaanta tamarta, halka meelaha beerta ku yaal darbiyadaha cagaaran ay qurxiyaan woqooyiga iyo galbeedka. Wejiga koonfurta wuxuu dhimaa wasakhowga buuqa wuxuuna aagga u beddelaa beer toosan, abuuraya fursado hawlaha lugaynta iyo isdhexgalka bulshada. Habkan cusbaa wuxuu muujinayaa sida kaabayaasha lagama maarmaanka ahi ay wax ugu dari karaan labadaba fayoobida deegaanka iyo kuwa bulshada.

The Recognition

About the Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award

Green Island Saldhigga Korrontada Magaalada waa guuleystaha Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award, aqoonsi sharaf sare leh oo la siiyo naqshado aan caadi ahayn oo lagu garto hal-abuur, hal-abuur cusub iyo caqli. Guuleystayaasha Naxaasta waa shaqooyin xirfad buuxda leh iyo hal-abuur yaab leh oo xaqiijiya khibrad weyn, male-awaal iyo kartida naqshadeeyayaashooda. Green Island Saldhigga Korrontada Magaalada waa walax la filayo inay noqoto mid aad loo tixgeliyo, la ixtiraamo oo la jecel yahay, xirfad cad leh oo hal-abuur cusub leh. Naqshadahan ku guuleystay Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award wuxuu ku darsadaa hab-dhaqanno ugu wanaagsan farshaxanka, sayniska, naqshadaynta iyo tignoolajiyada wuxuuna ku fiican yahay dhawrista tafaasiisha. Green Island Saldhigga Korrontada Magaalada si fiican ayay u buuxisaa baahiyaha, taabataa rabitaannada, soo jiidataa dareenka kicinayaanna xiisaha aqoonta.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The power substation uses a double-skin facade to create a “breathing, growing, and energy-storing” Green Island, blending infrastructure with vibrant public space. Solar panels on the south and east maximize energy efficiency, while the north and west feature green walls with planting troughs. The southern facade shields traffic noise and transforms the edge into a lively linear park, connecting neighborhoods and fostering community engagement.
Dimensions & Packaging: The project is located on a 50,000 mm x 70,000 mm site, with a total building height of 12,000 mm.
Tags: Green Island, Public Space, Urban Infrastructure, Ecological Design, Sustainability, Power Substation, Double-skin Facade
Production Technology: The design was developed using a research-driven approach, integrating sustainable strategies and advanced modeling techniques. A double-skin facade system was employed, combining solar photovoltaic panels on sun-facing sides for energy efficiency and perforated aluminum panels with planting troughs on shaded facades to foster biodiversity. Parametric design tools optimized the facade's performance, ensuring a balance between functionality, aesthetics, and ecological benefits.
Design Challenge: The hardest part was balancing strict regulations with innovative design. Local laws restricted changes to building footprints, limiting structural flexibility. Socially, the challenge was transforming a utilitarian substation into a community asset. Technologically, optimizing the double-skin facade for energy efficiency while supporting dynamic green walls required advanced simulations. Overcoming these obstacles involved integrating research, creativity, and stakeholder collaboration.
Research: This applied research aimed to transform infrastructure into vibrant public spaces, focusing on sustainability and urban connectivity. Using sunlight analysis, energy modeling, and environmental simulations, we gathered data with parametric tools. Community feedback and expert insights informed the design. Results showed solar panels enhance energy efficiency, while green walls improve air quality and biodiversity. The project highlights how infrastructure can unite ecological, social, and functional goals.
Inspiration: This project was inspired by a desire to blend essential infrastructure with urban vitality. Motivated by the potential to turn functional structures into assets for the city, I aimed to create a sustainable design that balances energy efficiency with ecological and social benefits. Drawing from research in green architecture, the project transforms a passive boundary into an active public space that fosters harmony between nature and the urban environment.
Project Duration: The project designed in September 2024 in Shanghai, China.
Operation Flow: This project combines energy efficiency and urban vitality by using solar panels on sunlit sides to generate power and adjustable panels that provide shade and shelter for pedestrians. The green walls grow with the seasons, creating a dynamic and eco-friendly facade. The design transforms the space into a welcoming park, reducing noise, improving air quality, and connecting neighborhoods, making it both functional and inviting for the community.
Image Credits: All credit to Xudong Zhu