Dance of the Seahorse / John Curran Architects

Future Focus
A Romantic Story unfolds in the animation movie called ‘’Dance of the Seahorse’’. Songshan Island with its seahorse shape will be regenerated into a waterfront experience, offering people an escape from city life, and inviting them to walk into a world of Recreation, Relaxation, Art & Culture, and Peaceful Solitude.

Songshan Island forms part of the Zhoushan archipelago located 200km south of Shanghai. Zhoushan is positioning itself to become one of the main Sea Tourism destinations in China. Dalian in the north, along with Xiamen and Hainan Island in the south, being the other popular destinations along the East and South China Sea.

Songshan Island is 1.5 km long measuring 85 hectares in area, currently zoned as protected land, with a forested terrain of Camphor and Hackberry trees, and little signs of human activity except for a disused stone quarry.

In early 2019 the Zhoushan Dinghai Government appointed John Curran Architects to carry out a master plan. Through close collaboration with the local Government, proposals have now converged on a strategy for bringing new life and local prosperity to the island, whilst at the same time protecting the islands greatest asset – a breathtakingly beautiful mountain & sea ecology.

Sense of Identity
The previous residents of Songshan Island left behind a Precious Legacy. The coast contains a necklace of man-made lakes built by the hands of the previous residents for the purpose of fish farming. Unlike the sea, the still calm waters of these man-made lakes produce perfect reflections of the sky. As a visitor you have the feeling of walking between 2 skies – the sky above your head, and the sky at your feet reflected in these still water mirrors. Dance of the Seahorse transforms these wetlands into a series of resting spots – a Paradise on the Sea for couples and families to enjoy.

A public boardwalk connects a diverse mix of activities - from families participating in organic farming, to children experiencing the thrills of the Seahorse Net, to adults exploring the Culinary & Literary Workshops.

The Cloud Hotel and the Forest Villas are nested into the wetlands and hillside forest as secluded retreats. The island can easily be explored on foot or by bicycle, and as part of Zhoushan’s focus towards an ecologically minded tourism, the island retains its protected car free status, by operating a car park to electric ride transfer.

Architects: John Curran Architects
Client: Zhoushan Dinghai Government
Design Team: John Curran, Gongming Liu, Ferry Ardian Kesuma, Kaiwen Zhao
Location: Songshan Island, Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, China
Land Area: 85 Hectares
Project Year: 2019