Green-Roofed West Kowloon Terminus Will Link Hong Kong With China’s High Speed Rail

The dramatic Express Link West Kowloon Terminus is a new rail station slated for Hong Kong that's expected to strengthen the city's strategic position as the southern gateway of China. Designed by <a href="http://www.aedas.com/Express-Rail-Link-West-Kowloon-Terminus-Hong-Kong" target="_blank">Aedas</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.aecom.com/What+We+Do/Transportation/Market+Sectors/Transit/High+Speed+Rail/_projectsList/West+Kowloon+Terminus,+Hong+Kong" target="_blank">AECOM</a>, the high-speed rail terminus will access an underground tunnel to connect to the Pearl River Delta and the rest of the mainland. The distinctive terminal will be characterized by arching fins, abundant natural daylighting, and covered with pedestrian paths and green roofs. The Express Link West Kowloon Terminus will be the largest underground facility of its kind, and it will reserve its above-ground area for nature.

What pokes out above ground is a beautiful soaring volume with arched fins, clerestory windows, plenty of daylight and a lot of landscaping.

Much of the station's roof is actually a green roof and pedestrian paths cross over the top so as to make the above ground portion a park rather than a train station.

The dramatic Express Link West Kowloon Terminus is a new rail station slated for Hong Kong that's expected to strengthen the city's strategic position as the southern gateway of China. Designed by <a href="http://www.aedas.com/Express-Rail-Link-West-Kowloon-Terminus-Hong-Kong" target="_blank">Aedas</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.aecom.com/What+We+Do/Transportation/Market+Sectors/Transit/High+Speed+Rail/_projectsList/West+Kowloon+Terminus,+Hong+Kong" target="_blank">AECOM</a>, the high-speed rail terminus will access an underground tunnel to connect to the Pearl River Delta and the rest of the mainland. The distinctive terminal will be characterized by arching fins, abundant natural daylighting, and covered with pedestrian paths and green roofs. The Express Link West Kowloon Terminus will be the largest underground facility of its kind, and it will reserve its above-ground area for nature.

Currently under construction, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Kowloon_Terminus" target="_blank">Express Link West Kowloon Terminus</a> will provide a high speed connection to the Pearl River Delta, mainland China and the rest of the high speed rail network.

The station will have a footprint of more than 25 acres and connects to a 26 km underground rail tunnel.

The rail station is mostly underground with only a small component above ground with commercial development located north of the proposed West Kowloon Cultural District.

This tunnel connects to Shenzen and provides both short haul and long haul service, including connection to China's high speed rail network.

Trains leaving Hong Kong will run at a maximum speed of 200 kph and will shorten the journey time between Hong Kong and Guangzhou from about 100 minutes to 48 minutes.

<a href="http://www.aedas.com/" target="_blank">Aedas</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.aecom.com/" target="_blank">Aecom</a> were hired by the Mass Transit Railway Corporation and expect to complete the project in 2015.

It will only take 14 and 23 minutes respectively from Hong Kong to Futian and Longhau in Shenzhen.