TFP Farrells, lead international design consultant on Guangzhou South Railway Station are proud to announce the opening of Phase One of the project.
Located at the heart of the Pearl River Delta region, this comprehensive multi-modal transportation infrastructure will serve a catchment area of over 300-million people. It is part of China’s new high-speed rail network that incorporates four new major transportation hubs including Guangzhou South Station and Beijing South Station (also designed by TFP Farrells and completed in 2008). A world-class transportation centre it will help connect the cities of Beijing, Wuhan, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. 
Guangzhou South Station will host its grand opening this summer and will emerge as one of the largest railway stations in the world, roughly three times the size of London’s Kings Cross Station.
Designed for a daily turnover of over 350,000 passengers (by 2030), which equates to almost 33,000 people per hour. Annual passenger numbers are expected to reach over 130 million when the station eventually reaches capacity.
Spread over three storeys, with a mezzanine floor for food and beverage and two basements for metro, car parks and service, the station’s structure is constructed from reinforced concrete for the viaduct and columns and steel framing for the columns and roof. Exterior finishes include high solar performance glazing for the curtain wall with an embossed natural anodised aluminium standing seam roof which includes a central skylight. Stone cladding has been used for the ticket offices whilst the interiors include natural granite flooring, aluminium wall claddings and linear aluminium ceiling planks. The site covers and area of 254,700 m2 which provides the station with a GFA totalling some 486,000 m2.
A clear vertical organization strategy was adopted to assist in orientation and to accommodate the substantial volume of commuters. Located in-between the Departures Concourse Level and the Arrivals Level are the 28 elevated viaduct platforms for high-speed trains.
A contemporary design that incorporates clear way finding, new technology and environmental features, Guangzhou South Station’s unique and innovative design will also promote rapid development of the regions’ economy.
The project was led by Gavin Erasmus and Stefan Krummeck from TFP Farrells, part of the Farrell Partnership, who worked in collaboration with The Fourth Railway Survey & Design Institute (FSDI) and the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD), for their client the Ministry of Railways. The project broke ground on 1 Mar 2007 and is expected to be completed by July 2010.