A disused railway will become a sustainable green corridor in Taiwan

Delft-based architecture firm Mecanoo has unveiled designs to transform a disused railway and dyke in Taichung, Taiwan into a vibrant linear park.

Dubbed the Taichung Green Corridor, the project will reuse the former rail that traverses Taichung’s downtown and stretches over a mile in length. The project aims to preserve the area’s strong historic character while spurring urban revitalization and improving the area’s biodiversity.Set to begin construction later this year into next year, the Taichung Green Corridor will offer over a mile of partially elevated greenway integrated with gardens, outdoor exercise areas, playgrounds, a sculpture park, plazas and more. Taking inspiration from the railway infrastructure, sections of the park will branch out in different directions. The greenway will also provide a new lane for bicyclists while a tree-lined river, which will run alongside and through the park, will be incorporated into the design as well.

“The green corridor will become a destination and invite users to explore and enjoy the green qualities of the park,” explained Mecanoo. “To maintain the area’s strong historical character, and set a coherent, recognisable theme for the project, the new circulation system layout relies on the junction railway track pattern. Based on different properties of the dyke, programmes such as herb garden, street fitness, tribune, playground, viewpoint and waterpark create an ideal place for leisure and recreation activities. All the proposed programmes are designed to intensify the use of the area for the local and wider Taichung community while promoting a more coherent city infrastructure.”

The Taichung Green Corridor also aims to support the conservation and development of the region’s native flora and fauna. The project is being carried out in collaboration with local landscape architecture firm S.D. Atelier as well as ARIA architects & planners. No completion date has been announced yet.