The Zizhu High Tech Zone R&D II TOD Core Area is located on the banks of the Huangpu River. The Urban Design Framework acknowledges the agricultural origins of the land and seeks to engage nature and the city in the heart of the Transit Oriented District which is the southern terminus station of transit lines from the center of Shanghai. The framework establishes key principles to provide a vibrant community that can attract and engage talented individuals to maintain an innovative eco-system. 

A key goal is to provide millennial residents with walkable, creative neighborhoods that connect nature and urban activity through a network of open spaces of various configurations. These include:

TOD Urban Plaza: The plaza at the heart of the community is projected to bring thousands of individuals that will use the four metro stations.

Talent Street: Located adjacent to Talent Housing, this is a unique street with ground-level active uses.

Urban Promenade: The major north-south corridor connects the existing universities to the TOD Core.

Skywalk: This is a meandering upper-level walkway along the western banks of the canal.