China. It is not just a geographical horizon. It is an oneiric horizon too.
China is a country of legends and ancient mysteries and spirits. While Rome was tracing the first signs of Western civilization, in the East the third dynasty of a thousand-year old empire was declining.
For centuries, the city of Xi’An has been the heart of the East and the residence of thirteen emperors’ dynasties. It has been a firm and stark heart pulsating with ruins and restorations, splendors and following declines. For 3,500 years, this heart has been expanding and contracting according to the rhythm of the events of the Middle Kingdom. Xi’An is majestic and evasive. To this date, it is a wealth of treasures and sublime contradictions. Here, ancient and contemporary elements seem to compete for the soul of the city. In Xi’An stone dragons provide counterpoint to neon signs and paper lanterns guard the thresholds of glass skyscrapers.
Xi’An is tireless and adaptable to the needs of the times.
By 2023, this city will experience an expansion of more than 17km2. This is the outcome of a measure that has been implemented by the central government of Beijing. It aims at maintaining the city as the hub of the relationships between China and the Western world. In this context, Manni and YAC srl are pleased to present Xi’An Train Station.
A new rail terminal will define the meeting point between East and West. It will be located at the end of the Silk Road. For centuries, generations of geographers and merchants had considered this place the most remote destination. This new rail terminal will be at the crossroads of the old and the new, the Yin and the Yang of the opposite poles that generate the future of human society on a daily basis.
Here, millions of roads will intersect. Millions of journeys will start and end. Millions of lives, expectations and hopes will meet in the frantic and unaware atmosphere of travel-related places. This is because a station is more than a simple railroad platform, travelling is more than an experience. After all, the journey is the most real and genuine metaphor for the human condition.
YAC thanks all the architects who will take part in this challenge
Winners
First Prize
Mograph studio
Giovanna de Simone, Matteo Amicarella
Second Prize
Atelier_62
LUIS RUIZ ANDRES, JUAN PÉREZ GARCÍA, RODRIGO MARTÍNEZ GARCÍA
Third Prize
DS-WORKS
Daniel Szalapski, Cajatan Capeder
Gold Mention
Melbourne Amateur School of Design
Shi Pan, Yingna Sun, Jiaao Wang, Tingyi Wang, Xiaohan Mei, Wenjing Li
Gold Mention
acl
Alistair Lillystone, Martyna felus
Gold Mention
Mograph studio
Giovanna de Simone, Matteo Amicarella
Mention
PRO
Xingqiao Li, Fang Yu, Heng Yu
Mention
CCYY
Claudio C. Araya, Yahya Abdullah, Chenhao Ma, Yutan Sun
Mention
PILLS
Mingxia Wei, Zigeng Wang, Siying Ma, Zetian Huang
Mention
Wushi Studio
Xu Zhang, Qionglin Si
Mention
LAB5 architects
Andras Dobos, Linda Erdelyi, Anna Virag Gaspar, Balazs Korenyi, Urnukh Darizav, David Szekely
Mention
GiallarQ
JORGE COBO SUSPERREGUI, ÁLVARO MARTÍN GONZÁLEZ
Mention
brak
Michał Ruman, Kacper Guranowski
Mention
msquared
Mehmet Altunbay, Marco Hadijyski
Mention
Co.Lab
Wesley Liew, Jessica Baczkowski, Edo Adrianus Kartono, Yvonne Lee, Ukrit Thongthammachat
Mention
N45/E24
Iulian Tatarciuc, Daniel Poleac, Miriam Sanchez, Vlad Grumezescu