The Gateway complex houses a hotel, a residential building, and a greenhouse for folkloric, cultural, and agricultural events. In keeping with the “protection and development” philosophy of Kaisha Island, the Gateway complex seeks to construct as little as possible while maintaining the highest sustainability and environmental performance standards.
Engineered timber (CLT) will build the complex’s main structure. Except for the ground floor’s glass strip that provides access and visibility, the greenhouse’s façade uses polycarbonate.
The greenhouse’s volume is separated into three sections: SEMI-FULL, FULL, and EMPTY space:
The auditorium and the art galleries are housed within the FULL space (the Mountain and the Box).
Plant nurseries and associated research labs occupy the SEMI-FULL space.
The EMPTY space is entirely devoted to creative events, the fruit market, and gardens of all sizes.
The greenhouse is adjacent to the hotel. As a result, a small portion of the rooms will have a distinctive view of the inside of the greenhouse’s multipurpose area. Furthermore, a dedicated tropical garden serves as a green buffer between visitors and the general public. At the same time, the leisure area, spa, and swimming pool are all situated just inside the greenhouse and have independent entrances.
A green plaza, a sizeable area that doubles as a grand entryway and a venue for events, divides the residential block from the remainder of the building. Its height is further increased by the water lapped on two of its sides, making it the highest point in the complex. A block of common areas and amenities limits the upper boundary of the square.
The building complex has an intimate relationship with water.
Its body’s box-like rigidity heightens the contrast with the watercourse’s and nature’s benevolence. This dialogue takes the form of a sequence of steps descending towards the canal, evoking the ascetic spirituality of the enormous Indian complexes along the rivers or the poetry of Scarpa design.
From the masterplan description text:
Kaisha Island is a gentle, fertile green island in the middle of the Yangtze River. It is located near the northern end of Nantong and is adjacent to the high-speed train Nantong West Station, providing convenient transportation. Their one-hour radiation zone includes Shanghai-Suxi Changtai and other significant cities in the Shanghai metropolitan area.
Thanks to the recently opened Hutong Railway, the island’s tourism resources are now even more appealing to Shanghai and southern Jiangsu. With the opening of Nantong Xingdong International Airport, 25 primary and medium-sized domestic cities and international routes like those to South Korea, Japan, and Thailand.
Thanks to its new airport, millions of tourists are expected to visit Nantong. Not only will it benefit travel and facilitate the exchange of tourists and the movement of goods, but it will also contribute to Kaisha Island’s development into a significant hub for tourism in the Yangtze Delta River.
GOOD ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT
The project site in Tongzhou District presents a temperature zone that transitions between subtropical and southern temperate regions on China’s eastern coast. Its four seasons, synchronised rain and heat, concentrated rainfall, enough sunlight, excellent natural circumstances, and abundant climate resources indicate its monsoon features.
The island is known for its river-fresh cuisine and boasts a rich water network, lush vegetation, distinctive agricultural and ancillary products, and aquatic resources. Huge marshes have developed into numerous unique dark ecosystems and are perfect locations for the growth of the leisure, sports, and ecotourism sectors, as well as travel and tourism.
RICH TOURISM RESOURCES
Kaisha Island Resort has been developing and building scenic spots featuring ‘leisure, fishing, picking, sports and food recently, gradually forming China’s table tennis Tongzhou training base, Jiangxin Temple, and classic garden. These developments emphasise the principle of ‘protection and development’, with the themes of ‘ecology’ and ‘green and healthy. Mountain Villa, Xiudao Villa, Yangtze River Golf Club, Yangtze River Pigeon Shed, Tuju RV Campground, Kaisha Island Zoo, Intercontinental Fantasy Island, and other tourist destinations enhance the island’s tourism culture.
The project area spans 530 mu (35.3ha).
The land in the project region presents four zones: agriculture, forest land, surface water, and land for service and hospitality building. The northeast is subdivided into farmland, fish ponds, and woodland areas, whereas most of the southwest comprises continuous, centralised agriculture.
PROJECT POSITIONING
Kaisha Island Resort has adopted the “emphasising protection and development” idea in recent years. It has created and constructed several picturesque locations with “leisure, fishing, picking, sports, and food” based on “ecology” and the notion of “green and health”. It has progressively developed into Jiangxin Temple, Dianyuan, and the Tongzhou training site for table tennis in China. Mountain Villa, Xiudao Villa, Yangtze River Golf Club, Yangtze River Pigeon Shed, Tuju RV Campground, Kaisha Island Zoo, Intercontinental Fantasy Island, and other tourist destinations enhance the island’s tourism culture.
Nonetheless, it is uncommon for any of Kaisha Island Tourism Resort’s recreational initiatives to have a robust agricultural theme or pay special attention to the agricultural sector.
This construction project offers a variety of fun and unique experiences, including luxury fruit-themed picking, sports and water leisure. These experiences have high engagement and experience, and they have significant competitive advantages.
The project aims to reach the target market in Nantong, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, and other nearby large and medium-sized cities. It will develop group and experiential leisure activities for business teams, couples, and groups, fun and education for families and parents, and popularise primary and medium-sized disciplines. Short-term study and leisure trips to agricultural destinations offer dynamic and high-quality instruction.
