AHO WORKS STUDIES 2012-2013
Diploma Projects
Master of Architecture
NEW UNDERGROUND TRAIN STATION IN HAGA, GOTHENBURG
JIAO LOU
Supervisors: Studio B3; Per Olaf Fjeld and Rolf Gerstlauer
Haga Station is an underground transition train station that is part
of ”Västlänken”. It is located beside a lovely old neighbourhood
in the Haga district, 20-30 meters deep under Haga park area. An
opportunity to reconstruct the old town centre has been offered
together with the transportation development. My main interest
is on creating new public spaces by establishing a dialogue be-
tween underground train tracks and the urban situation above
ground. The new development in the old town centre, ”Västlänk-
en” is a planned railway tunnel system under central Gothenburg,
and aims at improving city network. It is expected that 30,000
people will pass by or be at the Haga station. A train station is
basically an empty space but which from time to time is flushed
with people. It is the traffic and sequences formed by the traffic
that create the train station space. In the case of the Haga station,
the process of going down to the platform and coming up to the
urban environment is crucial.
The geographical conditions vary from dirt to rock, so con-
crete tunnels will be built in dirt and tunnels will be dug in rock.
Underneath the crossroad where concrete tunnels will be, it is
chaotic but remains a pleasant scale. Two light shafts are designed
to guide people from the road towards vegetation and with light
shed on into the station putting emphasis on the paths towards
the platform. Haga Park, where a rock tunnel will be built, is a nice
peaceful park. It is separated from surrounding traffic by grass
slops and big trees. A hole is dug in the ground here. Inside this
grotto, people travel at three different speeds before taking the
train. A variety of services are provided for them. One side of the
grotto is swinging while the other side is comparatively quiet and
peaceful. The circulation of people and the different atmosphere
create a diverse public space. For the city, it can be occupied and
redecorated for new purposes, such as big city parties, exhibitions
and cultural evenings.
