A view of the upgraded waterfront public space on the south bank of the Jiaojiang River in Taizhou. [Photo/Tide News]

A public space project on the south bank of the Jiaojiang River in Jiaojiang district, Taizhou, Zhejiang province, won an Award of Distinction at the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) Global Landscape Architecture Awards. The project placed second in the Water Security and Management category at the ceremony held in Hong Kong on Oct 30.

The project, titled "From Brown-field Barriers to 'Super Seawall': Elevating the Public Realm of Jiaojiang River's South Bank, Taizhou, China," was designed by a team led by Professor Zhang Ming of Tongji University.

The project is a landmark initiative under Jiaojiang's strategy to develop both banks of the Jiaojiang River and its seawall safety improvement program. By upgrading former industrial brownfields and aging seawalls, it combines protection against 1-in-100-year floods with riverside ecological restoration and public recreational facilities. The transformation has turned an industrial waterfront into an open public space.

Established in 1948, IFLA represents more than 80 national associations and over 100,000 landscape architects worldwide. It also advocates for the profession in international organizations, including UNESCO. The award recognizes Jiaojiang's achievements in waterfront development.