This Park Design Was Inspired by a Volcano and Its Lava Flow

100 Architects has designed Magma Flow, an urban park in a newly built commercial and residential district of Ningbo, the port city in Zhejiang Province, China. The park design was inspired by a volcano and its lava flow.

Paths like flowing lava

Red, yellow and orange pathways spread across the site like lava, linking the different areas of the park. The colours make the routes easy to follow and give the new district a bold, recognisable public space.

One orange ramp lifts off the ground and runs up and under one of the buildings, tying the park into the architecture around it.

Play for all ages

The park offers games that both children and adults can enjoy, such as tic-tac-toe and a seesaw. A staircase climbs to a seating area and a pair of slides, and at the bottom of the slides there is a small merry-go-round.

Shade and places to meet

Shaded seating is placed throughout the park, giving local residents places to rest and socialise.

A triangular swing set is surrounded by other features, including a wavy path, domes and trees.

Open after dark

Lighting has been built into the design so that the park can be used and enjoyed at night as well.

A lesson for new districts

As a general point, a single strong idea, here the movement of lava, can turn a set of separate play and seating areas into one connected landscape that residents read at a glance.

Project credits

• Project: Magma Flow park, Ningbo, China
• Design: 100 Architects (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
• Design team: Marcial Jesus, Javier Gonzalez, Monica Paez, Lara Broglio, Ponyo Zhao, Keith Gong, Cosima Jiang, Hayley Huang, Michelle Aldora, Jango Zhang, Yuntong Liu
• Project management: Jenny Fan, Nicholas Lv, Eva Jiang
• Photography: Rex Zou
• Source: Contemporist