Lost In Hongqiao
Hongqiao Railway Station Waiting Hall Renovation
Jiaying Qu, Aijia Wang, Ye Liu
Shanghai, China
Instructor: Le Luo
Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, the largest in eastern China, is vast in scale but lacks the design elements to create a memorable or engaging experience for travelers. The station’s interior, with its minimal decoration, feels stark and impersonal, failing to capture the essence of its bustling environment.
While the station offers shopping, dining, and other functions, these are primarily confined to the underground levels, leaving the ground floor largely dominated by rows of waiting benches. The dining and retail spaces are limited and scattered, leading to a sense of emptiness in the waiting areas. The small number of restaurants and stores cannot accommodate the high volume of passengers, while the space also lacks areas for rest, work, internet access, or childcare—needs that modern travelers often require.
In response, our design introduces three large volumes and a series of smaller spaces to enrich the station’s functionality. We embraced the concept of a "double-deck" layout, which introduces a dynamic layering of space. The lower level is conceived as an "indoor" environment, preserving the functionality of ticket counters and waiting areas, while the upper level offers a more open, "outdoor" experience. This contrast of spaces creates a sense of balance and invites a more pleasant, comfortable atmosphere at the station’s core, transforming it from a transit hub into a place of rest and interaction.