Taiwan High Speed Rail Changhua Station | KRIS YAO | ARTECH

The township of Tianzhong, whose name means “among the fields,” is set amid Changhua County’s rice-growing farmland. In days of old, it was lauded as one of the Eight Views of Changhua, a place where clouds drift in the breeze and birds flit about among the fields. At harvest time, Tianzhong is surrounded by swaying fields of golden rice, making a prosperous scene. In recent years, competition among flower growers has turned Changhua County into the home of a burgeoning floriculture industry, where growers vie for supremacy in annual flower festivals. The design of THSR Changhua Station takes this into account, making it a fitting landmark and gateway for this region, proudly flaunting its opulence to the outside by highlighting its unique features and local spirit.

The design of Changhua’s new Taiwan High Speed Rail station and the overall planning of its landscaping create an interwoven scene of flowers, vegetation, water and paving, both at the human scale and from a bird’s eye perspective. The imagery of the station begins on the outside, extending to the interior of the station building: large panes of glass preserve uninterrupted lines of sight and curved greenhouse paneling allow natural vistas as far as Tianzhong to be seen from this future gateway to Changhua, so travelers and visitors alike can continue to revel in the fertility and greenery of Mother Earth. The lithe structural aesthetic of the station, which incorporates the elegance of flowers, ensures structural safety while also giving the building a graceful bearing. The roof, whose checkered pattern is reminiscent of rice paddies, is held up by curved columns that allow natural breezes and sunlight into the station. And in the evenings, off in the distance, the glory of the setting sun is visible from the station. A fusion of unique local features, cultures and sentiments is in this everyday public space.