A new transport building by gmp
In Hangzhou, the new southern railway station built to a design by Architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) is starting operations. It is the third-largest station of the metropolis which, thanks to its favorable geographic position on the Yangtze River Delta, flourished culturally at an early stage and to this day is considered one of the most attractive cities in China. The transport intersection is part of the high-speed line between Shanghai, 180 kilometers away, and Kunming at a distance of 1,800 kilometers, and was built within the space of five years (2013–2018).
The guiding idea of the design was a shape with clearly recognizable construction that was developed from the technical railway parameters and the urban design requirements. The station is located to the south of the Qiantang River in the Xiao District and consists of two corresponding elements—the solid plinth and the folded roof above. The plinth rises from the two station forecourts to the west and east and forms a plateau with the booking hall. Beneath this lies a plaza that links two new adjoining city districts that can be reached on foot. The roof covers both the hall and the 21 platforms, straddling the difference in level between these by folding downwards at the transition to the tracks. Its fenestration bands follow the irregular pattern of the tracks.
The roof, which is surrounded by hills and high-rise buildings from where it can be seen from above, has been developed as a fifth facade. Whereas the solid plinth consists of reinforced concrete, the roof is a steel construction. It is supported by slender cross-shaped posts arranged in four axes: two of these axes also traverse the 84-meter-wide booking hall, the center of which has a column-free span of 42 meters. The steel framing remains visible behind the inner cladding of round bar louvers. The flooring in both the hall and the forecourts consists of seamlessly laid light gray Shandong granite.
With its roof louvers and 13.5-meter-high copper-colored shading louvers at the two entrance fronts, the design takes account of the sub-tropical climate with its strong solar radiation. Aside from the above, the building is clad in white aluminum panels. In order to keep the pedestrian routes as short as possible, the booking hall has been placed off-center in relation to the building. Following its handover, the station will now start operations in a step-by-step process.
“The folded ribbons of the facades and roof unify the platforms and the main hall. In this way they form a frame for arrivals and departures that, in the urban space, can be seen from afar.” Stephan Schütz, Partner gmp Architects
