SWA collaborated with the Guangzhou Urban Planning Design & Survey Institute on a new urban design concept for the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. Situated between mountains to the North and the Pearl River to the South, Guangzhou has a unique condition, which allows for the use of existing water channels for the framework of a new open space network. By abstracting the current channel system, a new connective artery links the mountains and the river through a series of multiple village centers. The separation provides a place to celebrate local village traditions, while the water connections create links to the larger city, allowing for functional and secure spaces for the Asian Games.