An attractive wooden railway station

In the suburbs of Jiaxing, China, a nature reserve is being transformed into a multipurpose recreational area known as Ginkgo Swan Lake. Named after the inclusion of a Ginkgo forest and an artificial lake, this family park is surrounded by a small railroad track like a loop. Hangzhou-based architecture firm Hexia Architects completed the second station, featuring two eco-friendly wooden buildings designed to enhance the outdoor landscape.

Located in the Xiusui New District in Jiaxing, China, in an area rich in both organic resources and traditional culture, Ginkgo Swan Lake is realized to celebrate a harmonious coexistence between ecology, nature and art. The park consists of a Ginkgo Swan forest, a railroad that circles the lake, an art museum, an ecological bird island and a water village. Hexia Architects completed the second station on several levels. It consists of two buildings made of wood and glass that serve as a multifunctional space for visitors of all ages. To the south of the railroad is a first building with a reception and information desk, flanked by amphitheater-like seating on each side, and the main bathrooms. On the second floor, areas dedicated to children, including sunken ball pits, a small library and cloud-shaped stools. A second building, across the rail line, features a more flexible layout for ephemeral stores, exhibits and other gatherings. A pair of curved white staircases – dubbed the white towers – lead to two attics overlooking the double-height lobby. Instead of steel or concrete, the architects are constructing the station’s buildings with wood, to reduce carbon emissions. All technical equipment, such as HVAC, is cleverly hidden to keep the focus on the exposed wood compositions. “We created two large spaces with a wooden structure to break a common misunderstanding in China that such a building is either old or small,” they explain.