Sandiaoling Eco-Friendly Tunnel “Dark Line of Time and Space”!Wu Zhongxun won the first prize of the 2023 French GRAND PRIX AFEX

The renovation project of “Santiaoling Eco-Friendly Tunnel” named “The Dark Line” won the French Architects Overseas Design Award (GRAND PRIX AFEX 2023 AWARDS) during the Venice Architecture Biennale on May 18, 2023 The first prize is affirmed. It not only stands out from the 10 shortlisted works in the world, but also is the only landscape construction work.

Why are there two names: “Dark Line of Time and Space” and “Santiaoling Eco-Friendly Tunnel”?

Architect Wu Zhongxun re-named this route with “Dark Line of Time and Space”: This trail includes two caves. The word “dark” is cleverly used to protect the original resident bats in the cave. Even if it is transformed, the overall lighting Only provide light around the feet, leaving the darkest space overhead for the bat. But the caring New Taipei City is afraid that the public will not understand the meaning of this line, so it uses the easy-to-understand “Sandiaoling Eco-Friendly Tunnel” to name it. Whether it is the “Dark Line of Time and Space” or the “Santiaoling Eco-Friendly Tunnel”, it is not difficult to understand that everyone has gone all out to protect the ecology.

Sandiaoling eco-friendly tunnel background

From Ruifang Station to Shuangxi Station, there are a total of 9 old tunnels. There is a local Taiwanese proverb “one coin drills nine holes”. So far, 4 of the 9 old tunnels have opened up bicycle lanes to attract more people. , and the recently opened “Santiaoling Eco-Friendly Tunnel” is the Yilan Line Railway Tunnel that has been abandoned for 30 years. Not only has this old tunnel with a total length of 3.19 kilometers been opened, but it has also become the first “reinforced bicycle lane” in Taiwan.

The design concept of the dark line of time and space

At the beginning of the 20th century, coal mining in northern Taiwan relied on railways for export. During the Japanese colonial period, huge railway projects were built. With the decline of mining activities in the 1990s, these railways were no longer used and gradually fell into disuse. 20 years later, New Taipei City started. Cultural route and hiking plan, wanting to reconnect historical paths and abandoned industrial sites, started the reconstruction project in 2018, hoping to transform two historic railway tunnels, for Daguan Landscape Architect Wu Zhongxun, Even more important is the preservation of the history and ecology of the local landscape (especially the bats in the bat cave).

Protecting the local landscape is easy to say, but how can the Daguan team repair the tunnel without destroying it? Is it possible to add a pedestrian bridge over the fragile and smooth dirt wall? They chose to use “steel bars” to build a modern version of the new railway, leaving gaps between the iron railings, so that everyone can see the natural state of plants and geology through the gaps, and 500,000 iron railings that are twisted, hollowed out and paved in parallel , with rocks, pristine mud and rich vegetation underfoot. The trails in the two consecutive caves are also paved with steel bars in order to preserve the original mountain spring water on the ground.

Environmental sustainability is the original intention of restoring old railways

The tunnel will reduce the impact of artificial lighting on the environment, but it can guide the path under the feet of tourists, and retain the bat colony, hoping to open the historical path to the public while not disturbing the bat habitat. But after the opening, the architect Wu Zhongxun also lamented on his Facebook, “The dark line of time and space has begun to give a new breath to the two settlements of Mudan and Sandiaoling, which have not been concerned about for a long time. The crowds have increased, and everyone has begun. There is business to do, although it is difficult for everyone to take a quality photo in the mirror pool, because too many people will affect the quality of recreation, but everyone should remember that these preserved historical traces, environment Ecology and ecology are the elements that attract people, not steel plank roads. We need to face up to the issue of operation and management to make the environment more sustainable, otherwise, the benefits brought by this project will only be short-lived.”

Notice:When entering the cave section of “Dark Line of Time and Space”, pleaseNever scream or use flashlights recklessly, the original bats that inhabited on the top of the cave were scared away by the sound of tourists entering and the interference of light. We must cherish the architect’s desire to preserve the original landform and residents, so that more people can experience a different ecology and be close to the historical track.

Please make an appointment to apply for admission during holidays

The New Taipei City Government reminds everyone that “Santiaoling Tunnel and Sanguazi Tunnel Bikeway connect Shuangxi Mudan and Ruifang Saniaoling sightseeing routes. It is the newest route in the low-carbon tourism of the Youth Mountain-Sea Line. In order to reduce traffic impact, and consider The space in the tunnel is limited, so you need to apply online for admission during holidays. There are explanatory boards along the way to explain the characteristics of the site, and guides will be provided on site. People can go to the reservation website to apply for a guided tour.”

Sandiaoling Eco-Friendly Tunnel The Dark Line

Address｜Junction of Shuangxi Mudan and Ruifang Sandiaoling, Shuangxi District, New Taipei City

Opening hours｜Tuesday to Sunday 8:30~16:30 (the last entry time for walking tourists is 16:00, closed on Monday)

Weekdays｜No reservation is required, the total number of people is controlled, and when there are more than 120 people in the tunnel at the same time, one entry and one exit control will be adopted.

Holidays｜The total number of appointments is 120 people in the morning and afternoon, divided into two tiers of appointments, and the real-name system is used for registration.

Official website appointment