A carbon neutral project featuring waterways, parks and multiple “themed islands” has been planned for the west downtown section of the Suzhou Creek. The Left Bank Neutral City in Putuo District will cover 2.4 square kilometers and highlight zero carbon emission design concepts. The district’s urban planning authority released its blueprint at a forum over the weekend. The neutral city is part of Shanghai’s ongoing campaign to create continuous waterfront paths along the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek. It also advances Putuo’s ambition to develop a prosperous economic zone along the Middle Ring Road. The city along the west part of the Suzhou Creek waterfront, known as the Left Bank, neighbors the ring road as well as Danba, Qilianshan and Jinshajiang roads. It is 3 kilometers away from the Hongqiao Business District, so will integrate into Hongqiao’s massive development as an international opening-up hub. Development of the riverside region will not interfer with the original ecological condition of the area, said Zhou Zhiqing, deputy director of the Putuo Planning and Natural Resources Bureau. “The region will have an eco-friendly transport system, greenery lands requiring low maintenance, green buildings and renewable energy,” Zhou said. “Even the soil will only be disturbed in the minimum level to reduce carbon emission,” Zhou told the Shanghai Waterfront Design Summit Spring 2021 on the left bank of the creek. Global architecture institutes and experts are invited to share their opinions on the development of the project, which is expected to become one of the main urban development projects in Putuo. About a fourth of the land area of the project will be parks and green lands, while over 4 kilometers of riverside region will be included in the city with recreation, business, entertainment and ecological experience functions, Zhou said. The abundant waterways will become a highlight of the project. The Caijiabang Creek will be extended according to its original layout to connect the Mudugang River and Suzhou Creek. A core island will be developed within the waterways, along with multiple smaller islands. They include the islands of digital, design, construction, arts, sports, culture, ecology, finance and equity transaction. The district government launched a “Design Lighthouse” project on the summit to invite top architects from both home and abroad to guide the urban development and renewal campaigns of Putuo. “These projects are related to the livelihood of Putuo residents,” said Zhang Yuxin, deputy director of Putuo. More than 60 designing institutes from home and overseas have been invited to Putuo’s 10 subdistricts and towns to guide the urban renewal projects every year, Zhang added. Putuo has the longest and most zigzagging downtown section of Suzhou Creek, known as the 18 bays, featuring many of China’s earliest national industries. Most of the industrial heritage buildings have been preserved and converted into museums and other cultural venues.