Metro Station 20
Currently an area lacking urbanization but with a plan for transformation in the works, the Druzhba residential quarter is looking at the Station 20 on Metro Line 1 of the Sofia Metro System as the catalyst that can guide the successful development of the area.
Our proposal transforms the station into a guiding element by concentrating on two aspects:
– Creating a public node, a place for gathering and enjoyment
– Providing a defined and unified identity to the station and its immediate surroundings
The proposal addresses the area in a comprehensive way, understanding that all levels of the station as well as its surroundings need to be strongly connected in a visual and experiential way. The volumetric language used for the containers located on the ground floor, station accesses and interior programs is the same to establish a clear formal approach to the project. In a similar way, the arrangement of the lighting is carried from the street level to the interior of the station.
The street level is unified by continuous pavement that relates sidewalk, pedestrian areas and parks. The road is at the same level as the pedestrian areas to emphasize the continuity of the ground floor and its public character. The different pavement patterns emphasize the circulation paths versus the gathering areas. Within that organizing framework, a series of volumes of different sizes provide varied amenities, including planters, fountains, benches, playgrounds, bar, as well as entrance to the station, lightwells and ventilation shafts.
During the day, the entrances to the station provide natural light to all the levels of its interior and, at night, they act as light beacons for the street level. The access and interior circulation are organized on the perimeter of the station allowing for spacious platforms.
The design of double height areas at the platform level establish a strong visual connection between ground floor, ticketing area and platform, allowing for natural light to reach even the lower level. This visual connection and the quantity of natural light available at all levels create extraordinary interior conditions as well as an improvement in safety.
The result is a project that connects visually and formally the station and its surrounding, extending the public qualities of the street into the station itself, turning a transportation system into an engaging and successful public experience.
Type: Architecture
Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
Authors: Iker Gil, Mateu Baylina, Robert Casasús
Team: Iker Gil, Mateu Baylina, Robert Casasús, André Corrêa, Andrew Obendorf
Year: 2011
Status: Competition