Green the City Sky

Green the City Sky – “点绿城市”行动

The Nature Conservancy-Shenzhen Conservation Program – 大自然保护协会深圳保护项目队

We live in a rapidly urbanizing world, according to Chinese National Bureau of Statistics, over 57% of China’s population now live in cities. The movement of people from rural to urban areas increases the need to expand the built environment of the city, leaving less and less space for nature. With urbanization, the separation of humans from nature is becoming increasingly apparent. Coupled with the rise and wide-spread of use of technology, many feel further and further away from the natural environment.

Some perceive cities as a space of consumption where many find comfort in the artificial, and they stand as obstacles to living in harmony with nature, but this does not have to be the case. In today’s urban environments, there are many opportunities to engage with the natural environment, sometimes in the most unexpected spaces. With its wide-spread access, technology has become an essential part of our daily lives, connecting people to one another. Our project aims to use technology as the tool to bring nature back to the lives of urban residents.

Design project “Green the City Sky” takes on a slightly different interpretation of the “Eyes of the City”. By utilizing simple technologies that are commonly available to everyone, we can help people see the different spatial facades of the city where green infrastructure exists, and create an opportunity for people to interact with them. This project responds to the question “How will the new technological scenario change people’s behavior in the city? How will this articulate the relation between human body and urban space?” from a perspective of protecting the city’s natural environment. Through this project, we want to rebuild the relationship between humans and nature through an interactive user experience on a virtual platform. On this platform, visitors can learn about urban sustainability development and the possibilities to interact with nature in uncommon spaces like rooftops. With a specific focus on Shenzhen, users will have the opportunity to express precisely where they would like to see more natural infrastructure projects. The data collected can assist urban planners and designers to support residents’ needs and create a better, more sustainable urban environment.

中国国家统计局的数据显示，我们生活在一个快速城市化的时代，有超过57%的中国人生活在城市里。城市扩张增加了对劳动力的需求，越来越多农村人口流动到城市，农村土地被转化为城市用地，自然空间越来越少，人与自然的分离也越来越明显。科技的发达，网络、手机、电脑等信息系统和工具的诞生，更是降低了人们主动到自然中活动的需求。

有人认为城市理应是一个人造的商业空间，如果要与自然环境融合是不太可能的，但事实上并非如此。在当今城市设计中，设计师营造了很多可供人们接触自然的机会，甚至有些是令人意想不到的空间。我们的目标就是希望通过现在广泛应用的科技，将人们与这些意想不到的城市空间和城市中出其不意的绿色联系起来，帮助他们发现城市中的自然，看到城市环境中不一样的一面。

“点绿城市行动”设计项目以不同的方式诠释了“城市之眼”。项目希望通过人人都能使用的简单技术，帮助人们看到绿色基础设施所在城市的不同空间立面，并为人们创造与之互动的机会。我们尝试从保护自然环境的角度来回应新技术将如何改变人们在城市中的行为，以及如何阐明人体和城市空间之间的关系。在项目中，参观者可以通过虚拟平台，在屋顶这样的非常规空间发现城市可持续发展和与自然互动的可能性。项目聚焦于深圳，参与体验的用户可以通过这一平台表达他们希望在深圳的哪些地方看到更多绿色基础设施。项目收集的数据将被反馈给城市规划师和设计师，为他们后续建造更宜居城市提供参考。

Credits:

Xin Yu 虞鑫, Xunyu Zhang 张薰予, Xue Er Qiang