06 KAOHSIUNG ON THE RIGHT TRACK

Dutch architectural practice Mecanoo is to design a new station which will become the focal point of the Underground Railway Project in Taiwan’s second city. Kaohsiung Station is to have a sunken plaza complete with a bright ceiling of oval-shaped lights, and will connect a 22,000-square metre hotel, 52,000-square metre commercial building, shops, restaurants and a range of further facilities for local residents and travellers. A sprawling 35,000-square metre canopy will protect the plaza from the city’s tropical climate and will be able to host a farmers’ market or traditional open-air opera. The station is due to be completed in 2024.