Location: Tainan, Taiwan.

Architect: Biophilia Architecture Association.

The Tainan Bus Station is a temporary bus station located near Tainan’s main train station and adjacent to the 321 Arts Village tourist spot. The project site was previously used for military purposes and later became a parking lot. Due to the undetermined scope of relics underneath the project site, lightweight steel structures and recycled shipping containers were selected as the main structure of the bus station. The design phase took into consideration the experience of both local people and tourists towards the bus station, the undetermined scope of relics, the need for vehicle parking lots, and the connectivity between people. The bus station is designed to be a memorable space with both transportation and commercial purposes. Tainan is the cultural capital of Taiwan, and the bus station is designed to reflect the city’s traditional old streets with different layers of context. The semi-outdoor area is well-ventilated, reducing the usage of air conditioners within the building. The façade of the station is formed by 90 recycled shipping containers, creating an obvious visual image of the bus station along with the adjacent park’s existing road. The two-storey containers’ stacks on the east are the commercial shops, whereas the other two-storey containers’ stacks on the west side form the passengers’ waiting space and management office, including an information counter. The goal of the project is to have an environment-friendly building, with minimal impact to the land, well-ventilated, and energy-efficient bus station.

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