TOD creates vibrancy and vitality in the city.
—The designer of Guangzhou Baiyun Station speaks (Part 1)

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In December 2023, Guangzhou Baiyun Station opened in a newly developed area north of Guangzhou, China. Baiyun Station is a public transportation hub with a total floor area of 410,000 square meters, serving 24 above-ground lines including high-speed rail and 6 subway lines. Integrated development (TOD) is underway around the station and surrounding area of approximately 500,000 square meters of office and commercial facilities. Nikken Sekkei was selected in the international TOD competition and took on the role of design architect.
In China, where the development of public transportation is accelerating, the need for TOD (Transit-Only Development) has been increasing recently. Nikken Sekkei has leveraged its expertise gained from numerous TOD projects in major Japanese cities, including Shibuya Station, to lead the way in China's TOD development from its early stages.
Six months after the opening of Guangzhou Baiyun Station, Asia's largest high-speed rail (TOD) station, the project team visited the site and then held a roundtable discussion. Six years after the competition, we reflected on the project and looked ahead to the future of TOD development in China.

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We held a roundtable discussion in the southwest tower of the Guangzhou Baiyun Station TOD complex.
From left: Yoshio Takagi of the Urban Design Group (Director), Lu Zhongxiao, Chairman of Nikken Sekkei Shanghai, Tadahiko Murao, Representative of the Global Design Group, and Feng Qiqin of the Global Design Group;
From the right: Ding Bingjun (Director, Global Design Group); Tetsu Nomura (Director, Urban Design Group); Liu Chao (Director, Nikken Sekkei Shenzhen); Mitsuaki Teshizen (Design Group); and Zhang Jian (Director, Design PM Department (China)).

Shirakumo Station Overview

To eliminate the division of the area caused by the railway tracks, Hakun Station centers around a three-dimensional pedestrian flow called the "Transit Loop," connecting public transportation with the surrounding complex facilities. The transfer hall to the subway, which sees 360,000 people passing through daily, is called the "Station Core," a multi-story atrium extending from the second basement floor to the fourth floor above ground, with a circulation plan that connects each level. Always filled with natural light and offering unobstructed views, the "Station Core" is a symbolic space that integrates the station and surrounding area, providing people with a comfortable travel experience.
Furthermore, 25 eaves radiate outwards from each of the east and west facades, representing the petals of the cotton flower, a symbol of Guangzhou. Beneath these large eaves, a plaza and walking paths are open to local residents and train station users, providing a place for people to gather.

A bustling, large ring called the "Transit Loop" connects the city, which is divided by railway tracks. Outside the ring stand mixed-use facilities including offices and commercial spaces.

The six-story atrium of Station Core (left) and the 30-meter cantilevered canopy representing the petals of a cotton flower ©Mintwow

The plaza connects the station and the complex as a single integrated unit.
—The concept and spatial experience of Hakun Station TOD

Yoshio Takagi: The concept presented during the competition was to place a ring-shaped Transit Loop (hereinafter referred to as “the Ring”) in the center to prevent the town from being divided by the tracks, and to distribute the open spaces by connecting them to the station plazas located in the north, south, east, and west. I’m truly glad that the original proposal was realized exactly as it was. The vast 400-meter-long plaza space, located north and south of the station building and connecting the mixed-use facilities along the tracks, seemed a bit overambitious to me at the time of the competition. However, seeing it in person today, I found that the landscaping and the overhang of the large roof have created a plaza that comfortably connects to its surroundings.

Overall Structure Diagram

Tetsu Nomura: This plaza is used regularly for events and other activities, and during the busy Spring Festival period, it also serves as an outdoor waiting area for the station. Since its use changes with the seasons, as if it were “breathing,” we named it “Breathing Plaza.”Looking back now, I realize that naming it after the human activity of “breathing” gave it a human-scale feel, allowing it to blend seamlessly with both the station building and the surrounding structures.

There were few precedents for such a large-scale mixed-use development along the tracks, and since the Ministry of Railways initially seemed uninterested, it was thought the project would likely never come to fruition. Without these facilities, I believe we would have ended up with nothing more than a transportation hub, but upon completion, the city and the station now share a close relationship, and we were able to achieve an integrated “station-town” development.I believe it is precisely because of the TOD approach that we were able to create such a vibrant space.

North Breathing Square © Yang Min/mintwow

Passengers head from the waiting hall to the platform, viewing the railway facilities across the plaza.

Li Zhongxiao: The spatial experience at Breathing Plaza is truly impressive. The buildings along the tracks are arranged along the arc of the ring, and together with the curves of the station building’s roof, they frame the sky into a circular shape. Breathing Plaza and that framed view of the sky really leave a lasting impression of the station as a whole.

Liu Chao: During the development of Hakun Station, I felt that the travel distance had become “shorter” both psychologically and physically. The station was designed to be easy for residents to use, with short transfer distances between lines. The mixed-use complex along the tracks is located right next to the station, bridging the psychological gap between the station and the city. Furthermore, when standing in the “Breathing Plaza,” I sensed the atmosphere of a city square bustling with people—rather than the traffic plazas dominated by cars commonly found in front of stations in China—and felt that the station had truly become an integral part of the city.

Human-scale space
—The design of Shirakumo Station

Kōmyō Tesen: One feature is the large canopy on the façade, inspired by the cotton flower—a symbol of Guangzhou. Initially, we planned to use aluminum panels for these “petals.” However, we realized that the complex shape would be difficult to achieve with aluminum panels. Therefore, we switched to ETFE membrane, a lightweight material that offers excellent workability and durability.It offers minimal restrictions on manufacturing dimensions and produces no visible seams! This change in material was a major breakthrough in the façade design. We collaborated with Nikken Sekkei’s DDL (Digital Design Lab) to refine the shape and, with the cooperation of a local membrane manufacturer, finally brought the project to completion.
Additionally, the “Station Core”—an atrium that functions as a “Valley of Light” bringing natural light all the way down to the basement—was realized exactly as we had initially envisioned, including its sense of scale. The Valley of Light is used not only by passengers transferring trains but also as a resting spot for local residents, creating a scene that’s even better than we had anticipated during the design phase.

Nighttime flower petals viewed from the West Square © Yang Min/mintwow

Bright and lively Mintwow © Yang Min

Land: Even though it’s such a large station, it’s nice that you can still feel a comfortable, human-scale atmosphere throughout. The large roof is divided into sections, so it doesn’t feel oversized, and it provides shade for pedestrians below. I was particularly pleased to see so many trees planted there, with benches placed beneath them where local residents were relaxing. By placing a park right next to the station, it further bridges the gap between the station, the people, and the neighborhood.

Large eaves petals © Yang Min/mintwow

The grand staircase also serves as a resting place for residents. © Yang Min/mintwow

A platform that gives you a sense of the city
— Novelty as a station building design

Tadahiko Murao: When you emerge from the subway onto the station’s main entrance, the station’s façade opens up before you. It doesn’t feel imposing at all; instead, I felt as though I was being welcomed. Continuing on toward Guanggu, the area is bright, open, and bustling with people coming and going. I think this is an ideal space created by putting people first.
What impressed me the most was how the roof design extends all the way to the station platforms, with the façade’s design flowing seamlessly from the main roof down to the platforms. I believe the stoic dedication to resolving the entire design through the interplay of louvers and lines lends the project a sense of elegance.

A scene of people waiting for a train on the platform © Yang Min/mintwow

Land: At many stations, once you step inside, the scenery remains the same until you board the train. However, at Hakun Station, the exterior design extends into the interior, so when you walk from the waiting hall down to the platform, you can see the city and the sky outside. By blurring the line between inside and outside, the design allows you to feel the outdoors even while indoors, creating an entirely new experience.

Jeong Byeong-gyun: When you look out the window of a high-speed train at Hakun Station, your eyes are immediately drawn to the sight of a city of high-rise buildings towering above the tracks. It feels as if the train is diving right beneath the city. At most stations, you simply arrive at a dark platform and that’s it, but at Hakun Station, you can see the sky and the city through the atrium even from the platform. It’s a truly unique and memorable spatial experience that’s unique to Hakun Station.

A platform with a view of the city © Yang Min/mintwow

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