New Guangzhou Station images unveiled

TFP Farrells has unveiled images of its designs for the New Guangzhou Station, China.

Located in the Pearl River Delta region, New Guangzhou Station lies between the cities of Guangzhou and Foshan.

When complete in 2009 the station, which TFP Farrells worked on in collaboration with the Fourth Railway Survey and Design Institute and the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, will be the third major transport hub in Guangzhou , the capital of Guangdong Province, and cover about 400000 m2 (590 m long and 350 m wide), making it four times bigger than the city's existing main train station. It will also be the largest single railway station in Asia.

The station will also be an interchange for taxis and cars, the city's metro and bus systems. It is expected to handle about 78 million passengers annually, although its maximum capacity will be 112 million people a year.

The station is arranged over six floors. An elevated concourse on the top level is dedicated to departures. Below this concourse lie the 28 platforms for high-speed, long-haul trains, also elevated to prevent damage to ecologically sensitive wetlands below.

The roof shape is inspired by banana leaves, incorporating longitudinal skylights that provide the station's highest level (departures) with maximum daylight. Lower down, it partially covers the open-sided platforms to promote the circulation of fresh air.

Skylights are positioned between the railway tracks so the natural light can also filter down to the ground-level concourse. Curved at each end, the roof's components protect the station from the wind and prevent uplift from the trains passing through.

Bisecting the roof is a central spine that joins the station's east and west ends and symbolises the pedestrian route between Guangzhou and Foshan. It is at its widest near the entrances but narrows towards the centre reflecting passenger numbers. Its complex curved form responds to the circulation route below and acts as a route finder.

A canopy at either end terminates the spine but continues its geometry and construction, and provides shelter to the drop-off areas. The use of 68-m spans means that the upper level's waiting rooms are column free.

TFP Farrells's masterplan allows for landscaping inside and out. Two landscaped urban plazas constitute the entrances to the station while the arrival and departure halls feature "tree-filled spines".

Other environmentally friendly features include natural ventilation and lighting to avoid excessive air conditioning and artificial light and photovoltaic cells, which harness solar energy and convert it into electricity.