from skyscrapers.tw by桃園之心
New Taoyuan Station
Taoyuan, literary Peach Orchard, is a county in northern Taiwan famous for its delicious peaches; it is also Taiwan’s air transport gateway to the world. By proposing the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) approach with strong green inclination, the “Green-TOD” concept, for the development of the New Taoyuan Station (Station) and its surrounding area, Sinotech was recently awarded the contract to provide engineering consultancy services by the Client. The Station sits in a designated 54-ha zone in the city center which can be, it is hoped, the catalyst of future green urban design in Taiwan.
The idea of “Drive Slow Go Fast” and the need to provide a “Traffic Calm” zone formed the backbone of the design criteria of this project which will include the following:
1.Green-TOD
The public transportation around the project site will be enhanced, the same as the development of this area. By adopting the concept of traffic calming, the traffic congestion of the core area around the Station would be reduced. Thereby the air quality and the safety of the area could be improved and a healthier environment for residents and traveling public could be sustained.
2.The Station as Transport Hub
The Station with a footprint of 32,000 m2 and 70,000 m2 of floor area will house an elevated railway station at 14m above ground and a metro station at 15m underground. It would become a transportation hub that houses conventional intermodal transfers among the rail and metro passengers within the Station and bus passengers outside. And by connecting to the nearby high speed rail station, Taoyuan International Airport Transit Link, and the Taoyuan metro system now under development, Taoyuan City would be easily accessible from within and without of the Taoyuan County. The 4-story station building will feature a 300m long transparent vaulted roof, partially installed with solar panel for power generation.
3.A Mixed Use Compact City with the Station as its Core
Presently, the buildings in this designated zone are mostly 3 to 5 stories tall, the landscape appears disorderly. The surrounding roads are congested and need to be widened and developed with traffic management in mind to cope with future demands. In addition to being a transport hub, the Station will become a magnet to draw developments of government offices, retail and commercial buildings, as well as conference and exhibition facilities into the area.
4.A Sustainable and Carbon Free Development
Using the 2005 European Union Eco-city Project as reference and the guidelines from the 2005 Urban Environment Accords, the plazas at the front and back of the Station totaling 12,000 m2 will have parks, greenway, and promenade. It is planned that within 10 years this Station area will be a model of “Eco-Friendly,” “Carbon Free,” “Inhabitant Happy,” and “Sustainable” urban development.