The project imagines turning a disused train track in Cangkou into a corridor for human and non-human inhabitants of the city. Cangkou is home to a threatened gecko species that spends winters along the warm facades of human dwellings. As buildings become more sealed and insulated, this survival strategy is increasingly difficult. Using geothermal heat, the scheme aims to create a microclimate along the railway, safely connecting old village habitats and creating a new urban programme for human residents.
Master Plan of Cangkou Gecko Highway
Drawing illustrating the disused railway line and neighbouring old villages.
Aerial View over Cangkou Gecko Highway
Drawing illustrating the thermal conditions of the disused railway line and less insulated neighbouring old villages.
Disused Cangkou Station
Isometric drawing showing the site before intervention.
Cangkou Station in Winter
Perspective drawing showing local microclimates that support different vegetation and human uses.