Combining horizontal and vertical lines, AREP has delivered  a new station set in a dense urban fabric that opens up  the city to the natural landscape.

Qinghe train station constitutes a major interchange hub on the high-speed rail line connecting Beijing to Zhangjiakou. Designed as a window on the history of the city, it addresses the needs for accessibility, intermodal connections, uncluttered spaces, safety, brand image and urban development. Commuter cross flows are clearly separated, as it is always the case in Chinese stations of similar scale. The 220-metre long and 130-metre wide curved roof made of copper-coloured metal sheeting opens up the façades to the city.

The west-facing floor-to-ceiling glass façade opens up onto a large pedestrian plaza which extends beneath the viaducts and commands sweeping views of Xishan mountain. The east-facing façade sits on a stone podium which faces the residential district. The geometry of the structure is simple and applies easy to implement and cost-effective structural principles. The structure is composed of eight transversal ribs with a 25-metre space between them. They are supported by angled bents  that are held firmly together on top and mark out the side halls  at the foot of the building. The project makes careful use  of natural resources with emphasis on natural light and water harvesting systems.

AREP Group's mission: Concept design of the passenger building