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The Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) line is a high speed rail line that runs 345 km along the west coast of Taiwan from the national capital of Taipei in the north to the southern city of Kaohsiung. Service commenced in January 2007. Trains run at up to 300 km/h and can travel from Taipei to Kaohsiung in about 90 minutes. Over 90% of the nation's population is accessible via the network of 11 THSR stations. Ridership neared 50 million passengers in 2014 with a train punctuality rate of nearly 100%. Both domestic air travel and long-distance automobile traffic have been significantly reduced. In addition to greatly reducing energy consumption and emissions compared to cars and buses, THSR boasts a flawless safety record.
The Miaoli High Speed Rail Station was part of the second phase of THSR stations, three in total. The station is located in the western Taiwanese city Houlong. Houlong is part of Miaoli County, an area popular with tourists and hiking enthusiasts, due to the numerous nearby mountains. Preservation of the natural beauty of the surrounding areas was one of the design goals of the station. Environmental impact has been reduced by using energy conserving solar panels on the roof of the station. Local building materials were also chosen for portions of the station. The station is comprised of a central station element with two platforms on opposite ends. The Miaoli High Speed Rail Station was completed in December 2015 and has won several local awards for sustainable design. |
Project Details
Location: Houlong, Taiwan Gross Building Area: 19,000 m^2 Scope of Service: Schematic design through construction documents Client: Bureau of High Speed Rail, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Taiwan Government Architect: HOY Architects & Associates (Taipei, Taiwan) |
