MAD presents “Forest Train Station” under construction in Jiaxing, China
MAD Architects has just unveiled its design for the “train station in the woods”. Under construction and scheduled for completion on July 1, 2021, the project is located in central Jiaxing, southeast China, very close to Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou. With an area of 35.4 hectares, the intervention consists of the reconstruction of the historic station and the creation of a new underground infrastructure annex. It also includes the creation of squares to the north and south and the rehabilitation of the adjacent popular park.
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Directed by Ma Yansong, MAD Architects was inspired by the city’s historical and cultural contexts. Efficient, on a human scale and abundant with natural light, the new station will create a comfortable environment. Although the main commercial and commercial functions will be located in the basement, the space on the ground floor will be returned to nature, freed from any infrastructure, thus creating a “train station in the woods” and allowingthe Popular Park to radiate through the scheme to the city and form an urban oasis”. In fact, the project aims to establish a “borderless park” where citizens and travelers can live and enjoy the beautiful natural environment, returning the city center to the people.
China’s train stations compete to be bigger than the others. Raised in the city like grand palaces, they are surrounded by large main roads, imposing viaducts and often empty squares. More than this search for great monumental architecture, is it possible that urban train stations create their own beautiful surroundings, with comfortable stairs, and a mix of both efficient and humane transportation and urban functions? Is it possible that train stations are more than a staircase 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 worked closely with heritage architecture experts to obtain a more accurate reconstruction of the historic station and its features. Upon completion, the old station building will be converted into the Jiaxing Railway History Museum. On the other hand, the new additions, the station lobby, the platforms and the waiting room are hidden underground “,while the height of a floor of the building above ground level humbly respects the staircase of the old station building”. Bus terminals, a tram, metro, car park and taxi ranks are interconnected by the proposed scheme, creating an efficient transport portfolio from the train station and meeting the demand for transport facilities. created by the new shopping area.
Centered on the human scale, the underground space is open and bright. “As people move from the waiting room to the platforms through a futuristic underground tunnel, they watch the old station building rebuilt on top.”. In addition, the scheme locates the commercial functions of the underground station, while the sunken courtyards connect this commercial space with the upper park.
Jiaxing Railway Station
Jiaxing, China
2019-2021
- Typology: Transport infrastructure
- Surface of the lot: 354,000 m²
- Buildable area: about 280,000 square meters
- Leading partners: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayano
- Associate 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 Rodriguez Carrillo, Qiang Siyang, Hou Jinghui, Li Xinyun, Yin Jianfeng, Mathias Juul Frost, Lei Lei, Lu Zihao
- Client: Jiaxing Modernservice Industry Development & Investment (Group) Co., Ltd.
- Executive Architects: Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd., China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group Co., Ltd.
- Structures consultant: LERA Consulting Engineers Structural
- Facade consultant: RFR Shanghai
- Landscape Consultant: Z’scape Landscape Planning and Design
- Lighting Consultant: Beijing Sign Lighting Industry Group
- Signage Consultant: NDC CHINA, Inc.
- Property Consultant: Shanghai Shuishi Architectural Design & Planning Corp., Ltd.
- Interior Design Consultant: Shanghai Xian Dai Architectural Decoration & Landscape Design Research Institute Co., Ltd.