The EcoLink Project
Through a utopian lens, this project draws on theoretical models such as ecological urbanism and the blue city to reimagine urban life as an interconnected ecosystem rooted in social and environmental resilience. This vision proposes a future where cities work in harmony with nature to create adaptive and regenerative places. At its core, the initiatives value both communities and the natural environment as the focal point for shaping urban identity and place. By bringing nature back into the city and regenerating underused land, it aims to create healthier, more vibrant places for people to live.
Each stage of the project sees the urban landscape as a network that responds to environmental and social challenges. At a strategic scale, the design proposes a healthy city framework built on accessibility, inclusive public spaces and ecological networks. At neighbourhood scale, the proposal reactivates the river edge and transforms a former industrial site into a walkable, mixed-use ecological corridor, celebrating geographical, historical and cultural heritage. At domestic scale, design interventions embrace a co-living model, fostering community-led design and social resilience.
A key risk in this approach is that it steps away from conventional development models that focus on short term economic gain, instead it prioritises long term environmental health and social cohesion. To respond to this, the projects embeds adaptability and community involvement into the design process to demonstrate the impact of small scale, place-based interventions when creating healthier and happier cities.
