MAD unveils under construction ‘Train station in the forest’ in Jiaxing, China
MAD Architects has just unveiled its design for the ‘Train Station in the Forest’. Under construction and planned to be completed by July 1, 2021, the project is located in the center of Jiaxing, in the southeast of China, near Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou. The area covers an area of 35.4 hectares and consists of the reconstruction of the historic station and the creation of a new underground infrastructure. It also includes the creation of squares in the north and south and the rehabilitation of the adjacent People’s Park.
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Led by Ma Yansong, MAD Architects draws inspiration from the city’s historical and cultural contexts. The new station, which is efficient, human-scaled and abundant with natural light, will create a comfortable environment. While the main transport and commercial functions should be in the basement level, the ground floor space will be returned to nature, free from any infrastructure, thus creating a ‘train station in the forest’ and ‘the People’s Park to radiate the city through the scheme, forming an urban oasis”. In fact, the project wants to establish a “borderless park” where citizens and travelers can live and enjoy the beautiful natural environment, which can bring the city center among the people again.
China’s train stations compete to be bigger than each other. They stand high in the city like large palaces, and are surrounded by major highways, imposing viaducts and often empty squares. Instead of this pursuit of grand, monumental architecture, is it possible for urban train stations to create their own beautiful surroundings, with comfortable scales, and a mix of transportation and urban functions that are both efficient and humane? Is it possible that train stations can be more than a stopover for travelers, but an urban public space that people can enjoy? – Ma Yansong
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In order to rebuild the original historic station, MAD has worked closely with heritage architecture experts for a more accurate reconstruction of the historic station and its features. Upon completion, the old station building will become the Jiaxing Railway History Museum. On the other hand, the new additions, the station hall, platforms and waiting room are hidden under the ground, “while the building’s single storey height above ground level respects the scale of the old station building”. Bus terminals, a tram, metro, car park and taxi ranks are interconnected by the proposed scheme, which creates an efficient transport portfolio that is accessed from the train station, and meets the demand for transport facilities created by the new commercial area.
The underground space is centered on human scale and is open and bright. ‘As people move from the guard hall to the platforms via a futuristic underground tunnel, they observe the rebuilt old station building overhead”. In addition, the station’s commercial functions place underground, while sunken courtyards connect this commercial space with the park above.
Jiaxing Railway Station
Jiaxing, China
2019-2021
- Typology: transport infrastructure
- Terrain area: 354,000 m²
- Building area: about 280 000 m²
- Main partners in charge: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayano
- Co-partners in charge: Liu Huiying
- Design team: Cao Chen, Reinier Simons, Yao Ran, Fu Xiaoyi, Yu Lin, Chen Wei, He Shunpeng, Cheng Xiangju, Kaushik Raghuraman, Chen Nianhai, Deng Wei, Cao Xi, Sun Mingze, Huang Zhiyu, Zhang Kai, Li Zhengdong, Dayie Wu, Huai Wei, Claudia Hertrich, Liu Zifan, Xie Qilin, Alan Rodríguez Carrillo, Qiang Siyang, Hou Jinghui, Li Xinyun, Yin Jianfeng, Mathias Juul Frost, Lei Lei, Lu Zihao
- Client: Jiaxing Modern Service Industry Development & Investment (Group) Co., Ltd.
- Executive Architects: Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd., China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group Co., Ltd.
- Structural Consultant: LERA Consulting Structural Engineers
- Facade Consultant: RFR Shanghai
- Landscape Consultant: Z’scape Landscape Planning and Design
- Lighting Consultant: Beijing Sign Lighting Industry Group
- Movement Consultant: NDC CHINA, Inc.
- Heritage Consultant: Shanghai Shuishi Architectural Design & Planning Corp., Ltd
- Interior Design Consultant: Shanghai Xian Dai Architectural Decoration & Landscape Design Research Institute Co., Ltd.