NOGALES STATION
A Journey Along the Border
Jun Seong Ahn | Fu Wang
Border has been a simple but powerful outline among countries that defines artificial territory all over the continent, ocean and even air. Yet, this kind of determination by humanity has created separation of culture, politics, economy, ethnicity, and infrastructure; hence the border in between U.S. and Mexico is one of the striking segregation in history that caused tremendous casualties through border crossing with a purpose of survival and better quality of life. This project aims to turnover the aspect of unattractive Nogales Port of Entry into a welcoming railway station, Nogales station, as a neutral zone where it anticipates a new transportation infrastructure benefiting both countries and people whilst becoming a memorial site to remember agony of past victims.
Courtesy of Archstorming (images above)
Nogales station strategically integrates the surrounding structures and programs by relocating automobile movement underground and creating public plaza above; becoming pedestrian friendly. The site not only welcomes the two country citizens, but also attracts tourists from all over the world through an innovative strategy experiencing a neutral zone cooperated by two countries. The border wall transforms into a partially transparent structure that allows visual access and unique shadow experience from the existing reminiscence, white crosses, by irradiating onto the U.S. side. The border railway expansion from Pacific ocean to the Gulf of Mexico craves to recover both countries’ relationship and enliven the surrounding community for a better journey along the border.
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Nogales Station aims to heal the discrepancy between U.S. and Mexico through re-imagining border as a railway transit infrastructure benefiting both countries and surrounding community.