SHENZHEN – Two parks in Shenzhen have won top honors at the 2026 World Urban Parks (WUP) Awards, earning world-class professional recognition for the city’s achievements in park development.

The World Urban Parks Association, a global organization promoting effective management of urban parks and open spaces, covered five regions in its 2026 awards: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America.

Shenzhen Bay Park  

Shenzhen Bay Park won the Large Urban Parks Award, which honors urban parks over 10 hectares and recognizes excellence in community engagement, sustainability, and park operations.

Spanning approximately 128 hectares along a 13-kilometer coastline, the park features 14 themed gardens.

Situated on the border of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, the site was originally a barren shoreline under border control.

After more than 20 years of ecological restoration and innovative management, it has been transformed into a rare eco-park in an urban center — serving simultaneously as an ecological buffer zone, an internationally important wetland, a stopover for migratory birds, and a public waterfront promenade.

Providing migration support for more than 100,000 migratory birds each year, the park pioneered a “lights out for birds” lighting program, which has received widespread public acclaim.

Open free of charge year-round, the park welcomes more than 20 million visitors annually.

Previously, Shenzhen Bay Park also won the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) Outstanding Award, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Honor Award, and the China Habitat Environment Model Award.

Bijiashan Sports Park  

Bijiashan Sports Park won the New Park Project Award, which recognizes new urban projects for community involvement, sustainability, and excellence in design, construction, and management.

Located in Shenzhen’s central urban area, Bijiashan Sports Park is a comprehensive park that integrates sports, leisure, and smart technology.

The park adopted a “rail + park” model that efficiently uses space above a metro station to create sports venues for soccer, basketball, badminton, and table tennis, complemented by a circular track, fitness equipment areas, and a children’s play zone.

Since opening, the park has attracted more than 15 million visitors, averaging about 6 million annually, with a single-day peak of over 100,000.

As a park without boundaries, Bijiashan Sports Park is fully open and free, offering a 20-minute walking service radius that covers four subdistricts and serves a population of more than 500,000.

The park is designed to be “age-friendly,” welcoming families, sports enthusiasts, seniors, and people with special needs.

In smart and green development, the park is equipped with AR interactive screens, 5G smart running tracks, smart sports venues, and outdoor smart gyms. It also includes an EV supercharging station and drone delivery cabinets to support low-altitude economy services.

The park regularly hosts events such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Flower Show, Spartan races, drone shows, and urban micro-marathons, extending its influence across the Greater Bay Area and beyond.

Previously, Bijiashan Sports Park had won the IFLA Park and Open Space Excellence Award and the 2025 International Bay Area Landscape Architecture Award for Public Space and Facilities.

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