Shanghai is a major industrial and commercial centre of China and has seen rapid urbanisation and population growth over the last decades. The scale of urban development has increased the impermeable area for the catchment, while reducing green space which leads to increases stormwater runoff across the city. This causes serious urban flooding and river pollution. Shanghai needs to upgrade its drainage system to support future vision to an Excellent global city by 2035. In December 2018, the city authority launched a design competition to look for advanced yet implementable strategies from overseas experts for Shanghai’s existing drainage system challenge In all developed areas, coupled with imminent threats of climate change. Drawing upon our global expertise, Arup partnered with Shanghai Urban Construction Design & Research Institute to create a bespoke plan that covers 640km² with a population of 15 million. Arup plans to integrate next-generation infrastructure into all urban projects for urban planning design and redevelopment. The success of this masterplan enriches Arup’s ‘Design with Water’ framework, highlighting the idea of a water-orientated urban planning approach as a showcase for the next generation’s urban ecological development.