In the Rhythm of the Arcs
gmp Completes Nanchang East Station
In Nanchang, a prominent city located along the middle Yangtze and the southern shore of Poyang Lake, a new station has been built – Nanchang East Station. It was designed by von Gerkan, Marg and Partners Architects (gmp), together with China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group (T4) and Shanghai United Design Group (UDG). The station is the centerpiece of a new area in eastern Nanchang developed according to TOD (Transit-Oriented Development) principles, which will include office spaces for start-ups, shops, spaces for cultural activities and creative industries as well as residential units.
With a gross floor area of approximately 100,000 square meters, the station houses eight platforms and sixteen tracks. As part of China’s rapidly expanding high-speed rail network, it serves as a major hub, with rail connections to Beijing in the north, Hong Kong in the south, Kunming in the west, and Shanghai in the east. It is also the starting point of a new route leading through Jingdezhen to the tourist destination of Huangshan.
A distinctive feature of the station’s design is the three-aisled arc structure, designed by schlaich bergermann partner (sbp) and gmp. The main entrance on the western side is highlighted by a laterally shortened arc. In total, the roof structure consists of a steel construction of 14 rows of triple arc elements. The central, large arc spans 96 meters, creating a spacious, column-free area in the middle for the concourse. The construction time for the structure was significantly shortened by pre-fabricating each arc truss directly on the construction site and then positioning them with the help of a crane runway.
The main entrance atrium on the west side forms a three-story continuous space that connects the various functional areas across different levels: the main halls, taxi stands, and the subway stations. The atrium functions as an “urban living room,” linking the station with Nanchang’s city center and the TOD area, with eateries and retail outlets that are open to the public.
Nanchang East Station is considered a model TOD project in Chinese urban development. For Nanchang’s approximately five million residents, the station serves as a new transportation hub in the eastern part of the city. The Ground Traffic Center (GTC) model used in modern airports was applied to the station’s infrastructure to enable efficient and fast passenger flow into the city. The station is easily accessible for both pedestrians and public transit. Its connection to the high-speed rail network allows for quick travel to other major cities, enabling employees at nearby businesses to commute to work from more distant locations.
For gmp, this project is the fourth major high-speed rail station in China, following Tianjin West Station, Hangzhou South Station, and Fengtai Station in Beijing.
