Rebecca Lo of Perspective writes:

The expressed architectural components that are visible on the exterior are cooler silver tones to help soften the forms against the green foreground. For Bromberg, sustainability was a key element in the station's design and it has been incorporated into many of its facets. The green roofscape, beyond providing a valuable open space to the West Kowloon Cultural District, also absorbs rainwater and uses it to irrigate the hundreds of trees and shrubs on site. The green roof limits the amount of solar gain into the station. The interior of the station uses the skylights and clerestories for natural daylighting, reducing the need for artificial lights. Cooler air is always supplied close to floor levels for user comfort, so the majority of the volume in the space is actually not conditioned. The cool air, which flows downwards, can then drop naturally from one level to another, and eventually fall into the departure hall – further reducing the amount of air-conditioning required.

Hong Kong West Kowloon Station

Designed by Aedas and perched next to Victoria Harbour, the station features a 700-tree green roof and a 147-foot-tall main hall.

Covering approximately 7.5 acres and dotted with more than 700 trees, the station’s extensive Green Plaza has already found multiple public uses: Locals practice tai chi in the morning, business people indulge in al fresco lunches, and photographers capturing the city’s new icon when twilight falls.

The station’s green roof serves to advance much of the project’s sustainability. Trees block the western light, helping control the amount of incoming daylight and solar gain.

Read more: Open for Business: Hong Kong West Kowloon Station