Arup wins top planning award for Shanghai Expo UBPA redevelopment

At its annual conference held in Brisbane on 3 October, the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) announced that the Award for Excellence 2013 goes to the Post Shanghai Expo - Urban Best Practice Area (UBPA): low carbon ecological plan and implementation guidelines.

The project was ranked as the best project among over 70 entries from around the world, in recognition of “exceptionally innovative urban and regional planning initiatives”.

The planning objective of the project is to prepare low carbon and ecological planning guidelines for the 15ha former Shanghai Expo UBPA site to convert it into a new business neighbourhood in the heart of the city. The project demonstrates, at a neighbourhood scale, an evolving model of planning practice: transforming the city by means of an urban redevelopment plan that is implemented based on a low carbon and ecological planning framework. Construction of the project is currently underway.

This is the third time for Arup to clinch the top accolade following being honoured in 2009 for Changxindian Low Carbon Community and in 2010 for Zhengbian New District. Arup is the only organisation which has received the award for three times.

The Awards for Excellence are given to projects / initiatives which demonstrate outstanding creativity and sustainability. Entries are judged by an international jury based on four main criteria: content, process, innovation, and sustainability.