Silver Interior Space and Exhibition Design · 2024
Xi'an Metro Line 5 Subway Stations
by Muchuan Xu, Minxi Cai and Guanbao Ye
- A' Design Award 2024 Silver Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Awarded April 15, 2024
- CLIENT: The Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts & Vantree Design
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 30,281
- Verification code 5B131DC4E3 · Verify this award
About Xi'an Metro Line 5 Subway Stations
Xi'an Metro Line 5 is an interior design project for a subway line in Xi'an, China. The line runs from Heping Village to Textile City Railway Station, measures 25.359 kilometres and includes 21 stations. Each station interior reflects the history and character of its surrounding area. Yanxianglu Station uses lighting lines to outline petal shapes on the ceiling, and the columns take the form of branches. Xiyaotou Station applies ripple patterns to the ceiling, columns and tiles. Ample lighting improves the recognition of each station.
Within the distinguished tradition of contemporary transportation architecture, Muchuan Xu's Subway Stations represents a remarkable synthesis of structural expressionism and civic aspiration that transforms the utilitarian passage of daily commuters into an experience of spatial wonder and geometric contemplation. The work demonstrates exceptional mastery of parametric design principles, wherein the ceiling's crystalline tessellation of triangular facets appears to have been generated through sophisticated algorithmic processes that optimize both structural efficiency and aesthetic impact. The composition achieves its dramatic effect through the careful orchestration of bilateral symmetry along a powerful central axis, inviting comparison to the nave architecture of sacred spaces while remaining firmly grounded in the vocabulary of contemporary engineering and material innovation. The designer seems to engage thoughtfully with the phenomenology of transit, recognizing that underground infrastructure need not merely function but can elevate the quotidian journey into moments of aesthetic encounter. The chromatic restraint demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how monochromatic palettes can amplify spatial perception and direct attention toward formal complexity rather than chromatic distraction. One observes particular accomplishment in the handling of light, where the interplay between reflective and absorbent surfaces creates a dynamic luminosity that shifts with the viewer's position and the changing quality of daylight penetrating the structure. The work participates in a broader contemporary movement seeking to restore dignity and beauty to public infrastructure, echoing the aspirational transit architecture of the early twentieth century while employing distinctly twenty-first century formal languages. Viewers might consider how such environments shape our daily experience of the city and whether beauty in functional spaces constitutes a form of civic generosity.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Xi'an metro line 5, from Heping Village to Textile City Railway Station, has a total length of 25.359km and 21 stations (including 20 underground stations and 1 elevated station). The route runs from Heping Village eastward along Kunming Road to the southeast of West Second Ring Road, to Laodong South Road along Friendship Road, to the southeast of Yanxiang Road, and then crosses the Chan River from Yuejiazhai and Rongjiazhai to the terminal station, Textile City Railway Station. The design improves people's social participation by adding sufficient light to distinguish and enhance the recognition of cultural stations.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Xi'an metro line 5, from Heping village to textile city railway station, has a total length of 25.359km and 21 stations including 20 underground stations and 1 elevated station. The lightspot of the project, Yanxianglu station, is located in Le You Yuan, which was once the highest plateau of Chang'an city in Tang dynasty. Designers extracted the poetic elements of branches and petals, created the petals of the ceiling and the branch shape of the pillars by simplifying and reconstructing.
- Tags
- geometric solid, ripples, petal, Vantreedesign
- Production Technology
- The design of Ligongdaqujiangxiaoqu station is based on the background of Xi'an university of technology, the theme of the design is logic and sequence. The geometric spatial model of the station is obtained in the way of logical derivation, and geometric triangles are twisted, transformed and arranged to install a set of triangular matrix modules in order. The mirror image and array logic processing techniques are used to form a perception journey full of a sense of future.
- Design Challenge
- Due to Xi'an being the capital of 13 dynasties and one of the four ancient capitals in the world, its strong inherent historical and cultural heritage makes it impossible to overlook and breakthrough. During the project development process, designers need to collect and analyze resources around different stations, identify their differences, and enhance the recognition of cultural stations through the design characteristics of each station in the leap of cultural and artistic design elements.
- Project Duration
- Xi’an metro line 5 started in 2018 in Xi’an and finished in November 2020，and was operated in December 2020.
- Operation Flow
- The design of Xiyaotou station extracts curved surfaces and colors, and the ripples to arranged forms. The ripple aluminum punching mesh on curved surfaces is used for the ceiling design of vertical streamline area, and extended to the decoration on columns. The ceiling of Yanxianglu station outlines a vivid of petals by lighting lines, and the outer area is installed with wooden grilles to enhance path guidance and showcase the journey of perception through material and color comparison.
- Research
- In order to transform the previous urban transportation functional space into a public space with urban theme characteristics, it is necessary to combine specific elements of the station to create a unique spatial style in detail. The surrounding area of Xiyaotou station is a circular plot with many water treatment plants. So that the design is inspired by the symbol translation of ripples, and the ceiling, columns, and tiles are decorated with water ripple shapes.
- Inspiration
- Metro line 5 is located in Xi'an, one of the cities with the longest history and culture. Its profound historical heritage carries a strong inherent perception. On this basis, designers need to perceive and explore the combination of Xi'an's history and modernity, laying a more solid foundation for the sustainable development of the city in the future.
- Image Credits
- Copyrights belong to Vantree Design, 2023.
- Patents
- Copyrights belong to Vantree Design, 2023.