[Suzhou Amusement Park To Close And Relocate]

Kuth Ranieri Architects transforms an abandoned roller coaster into an aviary in China

 

 

Some might say adaptive reuse is for the birds—in which case, San Francisco–based Kuth Ranieri Architects might happen to agree.

 

The office is currently working on an unexpected adaptive-reuse project in Suzhou, China—just outside Shanghai—with fellow Bay Area landscape architects TLS Landscape Architecture, with the aim of repurposing an aged amusement park at the foot of the iconic Lion Mountain into a central green for a new, technology-focused residential hub.

 

Shishan Park site plan. (Courtesy Kuth Ranieri Architects)

 

For the Shishan Park project, TLS has designed a district-wide master plan focused on a new circular promenade surrounding the old central lake that once anchored the forgotten fun park. The development is carved into ten subdistricts, each anchored by iconic pavilions—also designed by Kuth Ranieri—and recreational spaces “capitalizing on the site’s natural and man-made lakes as well as the mountain’s historic significance and beauty,” according to the architects. Overall, TLS’s designs highlight 18 “poetic scenes” that visually connect occupants to the existing lake, nature zones, and views of the five distinct mountaintops that can be seen from the site.

 

 

View of the aviary at the foot of Lion Mountain. (Courtesy Kuth Ranieri Architects)

 

At the heart of the new urban area is the disused amusement park and its original metallic roller coaster, which Kuth Ranieri plans to convert into a new, 160,000-square-foot visual and functional center for the 182-acre development. Utilizing stainless steel mesh netting to create the outermost enclosure and wooden decking and steel platforms for new occupiable promenades, Kuth Ranieri reenvisions the dilapidated roller coaster as a superscaled aviary. The plan includes a circuitous “infinity walk” that takes occupants up and through the reused roller-coaster structure to perches above the treetops furnished with viewing platforms and an expansive sky deck.

 

 

Kuth Ranieri plans to convert an old roller coaster outside of Shanghai into an aviary and nature center by adding new elevated walkways and stainless steel mesh netting to create enclosed viewing areas with broad vistas over the landscape. (Courtesy Kuth Ranieri Architects)

 

The complex can be entered from any one of three access points framed by glass-wrapped concrete parabolic arches that extend into the aviary as covered walkways. Within, the complex will also contain a ten-story circulation tower that can bring visitors up to the highest observation levels. Here, a wide staircase containing landings generous enough to host public programming will wrap the elevator core. The complex will also include a green roof–topped animal care facility.

 

The metallic enclosure surrounding the aviary is inspired by traditional Chinese ink paintings and, more specifically, by representations of Lion Mountain in such artworks. The cascading, rounded geometries of the canopy are designed to evoke “a feeling of layered misty mountains,” according to Kuth Ranieri.

 

 

Ground plan showing the converted roller coaster’s programmatic elements. (Courtesy Kuth Ranieri Architects)

 

The project is scheduled for completion in 2020.

[TPR 2017 Coaster Poll Results!]

Wow. I would never have guessed that a Togo Ultratwister would have ended up in the top 30 if it had enough riders.

[MackManiac - Worlds first loop for karts]

This seems to be a different company from Mack Rides.

 

I think you're right. Their website lists them as Loony Loop GmbH & Co. KG and has them based in Nurnburg.

[Alton Towers Discussion Thread]

Wicker Man is testing.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOEuEMZOViQ

 

Edit: The person who uploaded it took it down.

[Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) Discussion Thread]

Really glad to see they managed to figure out the solar farm, seems like a win for all parties.

 

• Solar panels over the parking lot
  
• Only 40 Acres of trees cut down instead of 90
  
• 200 Acres set aside for preservation
  
• Solar powered GAdv

 

Couldn't really think of a much better solution. Yay Compromise!

[A loop around Lake Eerie - May trip planning]

Day 9: Sunday, May 27: Drive 2 hours to Waldameer, check that out for a few hours. Then Conneaut for a few hours. Then make my way back to MD. Option to extend trip into Monday (Memorial Day) if we’re tired.

 

Doing that all in one day sounds a bit much in my opinion. You'd be doing 8 hours of driving on top of 2 parks which I personally would not want to do. I'd suggest just pushing the drive back to Maryland to the next day and taking your time at the parks.

[Alton Towers Discussion Thread]

Someone on Reddit managed to get a pretty decent picture of the ride from up close. Regardless of how it rides, this thing is going to look spectacular.

 

 

[Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom Discussion Thread]

Saw this posted on Reddit and figured I'd share it here since it doesn't seem to have been posted before.

 

[Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) Discussion Thread]

Heading to the park today for a spontaneous solo adventure, if anyone else is at the park and wants to meet up, message me.

[Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) Discussion Thread]

Probably a stupid question, but how crowded do the season pass holder ERTs get?

[Dumbest things said on TPR]

Wow. That thing looks absolutely mental - I need to ride it.

 

Fixed link

[2016 Theme Park Attendance Report - TEA Theme Index 2016]

One small thing I noticed was in this image, they list it as the National Air and Space Museum, but it's the Udvar-Hazy Center. Side note, It amazes me that the attendance at the UH Center isn't higher, Its way better than the Air & Space museum on the national mall and the best of the Smithsonian Museums IMO.

 

[Moreys Piers Discussion Thread]

Praise be, the world can always use more chickies.

[Hopi Hari Theme Park 2011 - Brazil]

And they're closed again...

 

 

The Hopi Hari amusement park in Vinhedo, in the interior of São Paulo, is expected to close for at least a month.

 

Last Sunday (14), officials were advised that they would receive paid leave for 30 days.

 

The company said that anyone who has already purchased tickets can request a refund or change the "passport" for a new one, with a validity deadline of December 31.

 

The store announced on Friday (12) that it would make a "break" in its activities, without predicting when it would work again. This weekend, visitors who bought tickets faced the gates closed .

 

Hopi Hari's debts total more than R $ 400 million ($130 Million USD). Among the creditors are the BNDES, the Vinhedo City Hall and CPFL Energia, which cut the light of the park on April 10 - on the following weekends, the place worked with a generator.

 

The park filed a petition for judicial recovery in August 2016, which has not yet been approved. The new owner, José Luiz Abdalla, acquired the shareholding control of the company in December 2016, with the promise of building a hotel complex with 1,200 apartments and an on-site convention center.

 

According to the recovery process in the Vinhedo region, the company owes more than R $ 8 million ($2.5 Million USD) in labor claims. In January last year, park officials protested against the delay in wages.

 

 

Source

[Cedar Fair Corporate Development Discussion Thread (FUN)]

I wish CF would buy Wild Waves already. The park has so much potential.

 

The park has a 75t Height Limit, Is on 70 acres, and according to Six Flags 2006 Reports- Has less than 5 million people within 100 miles. Where's the Potential?

 

100 miles? What an arbitrary distance. Within 170 miles you hit both Portland and Vancouver. That's another 5 million.

 

 

It's still a small park with a low height limit

 

170 miles is a lot more than 100 miles. It's also over 3 hours away from Vancouver and almost 3 from Portland - which is out of day-trip range imo. It's too far out to be in market for wild waves.

[College Students/Graduates]

Graduating next Tuesday - it doesn't feel real.

[Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) Discussion Thread]

If it's not raining and are into art, you can check out Grounds for Sculpture just outside of Trenton.

 

I second this, even if you're not into art, Grounds for Sculpture is quite interesting.

[Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread]

Scaffolding is coming down on GoTG.

 

 

 

 

 

https://twitter.com/SoCal360/status/846083325731123202

 

https://twitter.com/SoCal360/status/846069665352695808

[The Rumor / Crazy Idea Superthread]

Robo-Arm ride + VR = Budget Harry Potter Forbidden Journey

 

Suprised nobody's done this yet - it would give you so many options and you could practically change the theme of it on a dime

[Favorite attraction never made?]

I remember reading (after the fact of course) that Ultra Twister was going to be sent from the shuttered Six Flags Astroworld to Six Flags America, but it had been damaged in transit and ended up in the boneyard for a couple of years.

 

1. Where in SFA would it have been re built?

2. Whatever became of the ride?

 

1. No clue

2. This site has it being scrapped, but no sources. This seems like the most likely scenario, I doubt it had much value other than scrap metal. There are a few other posts on here saying it was scrapped also. It's also not on the google satellite view of the park, which was taken at some point after apocalypse was built, so I think it's safe to assume that it's gone.

[Playland's Castaway Cove Discussion Thread]

Wait a second, they had to get new track? How the heck does a ride that never even opened need new track. I feel bad for the ownership, going from aiming for memorial day last year to easter this year, something seems like it went seriously wrong with putting this thing together.

[Six Flags Great Adventure (SFGAdv) Discussion Thread]

Odd choice if all of Movietown is converting, considering it has 2 Batman rides, a Batman themed stunt arena and our Superman themed coaster is in a totally different area of the park. Hopefully if this is the case they at least put halfway decent effort in the theming.

 

 

You also have Bizarro, Harley Quinn, Green Lantern, and Joker in other areas.

 

Soon the park will be Six Flags Gotham Adventure

[Favorite Ride Signs]

Y'all are sleeping on Steel Force. The ride may be kinda meh, but the sign sure isn't

 

[Skyplex Orlando Discussion Thread]

I don't know, slow rollback 400 feet sounds quite terrifying to me. Then again, my number 1 scariest ride is the Parachute tower at Great Adventure.

[Robb & Elissa in Asia - 2016!]

^ I'd probably be doing the same thing! Tron looks simply stunning, the lights, soundtrack. Wow, just wow. I really hope they bring a clone or some sort of adaptation of that to the US.