Sky Rainforest - R17 Universiade Station Introduction
The Universiade Station is the first elevated station on the Red Line after crossing Banping Mountain from south to north, located near the Zuoying Naval Base. The design of the station's exterior resembles a white sailboat, sailing through the green waves of Banping Mountain, echoing the imagery of Kaohsiung as a harbor city. Upon entering the station, one is greeted with a unique experience; the theme of this station is the Rainforest in the Sky. The artwork, created by two artists from the WJI team, features insects and plants once found and still present in southern Taiwan, printed onto thin film and sandwiched between safety glass, recreating the appearance of a rainforest. The enormous public art installation covers an area of 1,000 square meters, spreading across the station's skylights, main walls, and escalators, resembling a massive green embroidery that transforms the large structural forms of the station into a translucent, floating rainforest, creating an illusion of being within the ecological green trails of Banping Mountain while prompting every passerby to reflect on the relationship between land, environment, and humanity, deserving of appreciation and contemplation.
