Jiading District plans to build an artificial lake in the center of its new township.

Plans of the one-square-kilometer area - which will offer a variety of water views within an historic site - were placed on the official Website of the Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences.

The lake, called Yuanxiang, will cover an area about 0.55 square kilometer, the biggest of the 18 lakes in Jiading.

There will be eight different landscapes around the lake including an environmentally friendly island, a wetlands zone and a plaza for international cuisine.

"The core landscaping of Jiading New Town will be an ecologically-based residential and business complex," the draft plan said.

Although the size of the Yuangxiang Lake will only be a 10th of the famed West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, it will have a unique outlook and facilities.

The lake, which will link dozens of existing water spaces in Jiading, has been designed to resemble the Chinese character "hai" or sea, like the nearby Formula One racing track which from the air looks like the Chinese character "shang." Both characters form the name of the city.

Around the edges of the lake will be residential complexes, hotels and office buildings. A river park will also be built and will be open to residents.

As well as major roadways around the area, Jiading also plans cycle and pedestrian-only lanes.

(Source: www.shanghai.gov.cn )