# Shanghai turns toxic riverbank into world-class park

2026-08-09T14:15:48+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Shanghai transformed a 14-hectare polluted industrial site along the Huangpu River into Houtan Park, opened for the 2010 World Expo. The park's wetland system cleans 634,000 gallons of river water daily, raising it from Grade V, unsafe for human contact, to Grade II, suitable for irrigation. Designed by Dr. Kongjian Yu's firm Turenscape, the living filter uses gravity-fed terraces, plants, and microorganisms without chemicals or motorised equipment. The project secured eight national design patents and has been replicated in 20 to 30 other Chinese cities. The park captures 242 tons of carbon annually, supports 93 plant and over 200 animal species, and saved $17,300 in construction costs by reusing steel and bricks from the site. It also replaced a concrete floodwall with a terraced embankment to manage storm surges.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/in-2010-shanghai-turned-a-polluted-industrial-brownfield-into-houtan-park-its-wetlands-now-clean-up-to-634000-gallons-of-river-water-a-day/articleshow/133068200.cms>

Tags: China, Houtan Park, Shanghai, sponge city, urban ecology, wetland filtration
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