Trans Siberian Tourist Centre - Russia
Slide 1－ From my eyes to the Siberian Railway
Back in 2002 when I was still an architectural student, I travelled as a back packer from Moscow to Beijing by the Siberian Railways. The train ran along the seem to be endless
tracks that pass through the Siberian flat land, the enormous lake, valleys and creeks. Apart from the amazing landscape and scenery, the encounter of travelers from different countries during the 10-day journey made the trip an unforgettable one.
And now, through the space and implication of this architecture, I experience yet again this train ride and bring back all the memories of the landscape and people I encountered before.
Slide 2 – 64sqm and 9,236kilometers
The length of the Siberian Railway measures 9289 km putting into the context of a space of 64 sq. m. This pit stop will be placed at locations closed to key train stations of Siberian Railway. Compare with the length rail tracks, this limited space of 64 sq m contains an indefinite distance of the rail. These tourist centers only from part of the station areas yet it shows the interwoven relationship among cities, culture, citizens, tourist and the rail. This 64 sq m is not just part of the rail, it represents the kingdom of this Railway. It can be existed at anywhere along the entire Siberian Railway.
Slide 3 － 8m long architecture with memories in the carriage
The people I met and the landscape seen are key memories of the Siberian train ride. Yet the reflections on the past, the fantasy about the future and the nostalgia about my homeland that went through in my mind during the 10-day journey completed the trip. The 8m long architect isn’t big enough to fit in even one carriage of train but the space contains memories and the past.
Slide 4 － Length of the train vs Length of the 64sq.m box
a＝8m
b＝8m
y＝4m
is the longest distance within a 64 sq. m box. The limited space provides unlimited potential for the architecture. The “” axis in the information center could be seen as the beginning (the entrance of the train carriage) and the end (through the train to the final destination). The “” axis is also the basis of the form for this architecture and it has a significant meaning in the process of the transformation of space.
Slide 5－Form, space and perspective
Stepping into the information center and looking at the highest corner of the architecture, one can view the Siberian sky in different weather. As one goes further into the staircase, there are displays of artists’ works, sharing from tourists, maps of Siberian Railway, photos of the cities on the wall. The steps are not just sitting for the tourist, it’s also a space for exchange of information and traveling experiences for the tourists. The terrace at the end of the architecture is an outlook for tourists to have a glimpse of the landscape of the surroundings, preparing the tourists for the journey to explore and discover cities and villages along the Siberian Railway.
Slide 6 － Russian Colours
There are lots of things along the Siberian Rail yet to be discovered from the eyes of tourists. The change of landscape at different stations/ cities provide lots of opportunities for tourists to discover and explore. One can see from the windows of the train beautiful Russian architecture, the use of colors, patterns, and form. All these rich cultural elements are embedded in the creation of form and space for the tourist center.
Slide7 – Carriage and Pit Stop
The space created in the tourist center is somewhat similar to the space of the carriage for the Siberian Railway. This space provides information, trip planning suggestions, resting area, sharing space and shopping opportunities that meet all the programmatic needs as a tourist center. Just like how tourists interacts within the space of a train, the tourist center is working in parallel with the train carriage and supplement the needs of the tourists for their journey along Siberian Railway.
Slide8 －Possibility of the Site and Surrounding
Although there is no specific location for this architecture, it is very likely to be placed in area close to train stations along the Siberian Rail. Most of the train stations along the Siberian Rail are with the length between 80 and 100 meter while the scale of Moscow Terminus is larger. The tourist center needs to be generic enough to fit to any of these stations that are of different context. It is suggested that the entrance of the architecture to face the direction of the train station while the terrace should be facing the city side.