Jerman Cheung
East Asia Press Office,Hong Kong
After six years of design and construction, Yujiapu traffic hub heralded the arrival of the first high speed train on 20 September, reducing the travel time between Beijing and Tianjin Binhai New Area by two-thirds to just one hour.
Located at the heart of Tianjin’s emerging financial area, the Yujiapu traffic hub serves as the terminal station of the extended Beijing-Tianjin inter-city high-speed rail and connects Binhai to Tianjin city centre.
Arup provided architectural, acoustic, building services, façade, structures and sustainability consultancy for the shell-shaped roof – the only part above ground. The roof is a single layer lattice shell structure 114m long by 81m wide and 26m tall – the largest of its kind in China. The double helix dome is formed of 36 clockwise spiral beams and 36 counter-clockwise spiral beams covered with both glass and ETFE membrane, creating a bright and transparent environment inside.
The iconic roof has become a symbol for Tianjin’s future as the financial centre of northern China.