flinders street station shortlist reveals fantastic proposals
image zaha hadid architects
all images thanks to flinders street station competition

the flinders street station may be the earliest stop around australia along with the busiest transport hub in victoria. built-in 1910, the flinders complex is really a melbourne institution and also the historic strong your hands on the town’s cultural and urbanistic identity, even while a fundamental element of some quarter of the million people’s daily schedule. following a million-dollar allotment was focused on the legendary station’s rejuvenation, a design competition has a variety of architectural thinkers vying to have an chance to enhance the connective planning of melbourne and re-think of the all-important nexus at flinders and swanston street&#8211 a course made even more challenging through the added responsibility of retaining the hub’s architectonic spirit. even though the building may be the fabled meeting place for melburnians, expressed simply as ‘meet me underneath the clocks,’ each one of the six shortlisted designs posits a brand new existence and vibrancy for that landmark site that varies from layered park to pristine composition of sweeping beams. anticipation is the fact that melbourne, and even the location’s, architectonic mainstay keeps the caliber of community possession and excitement the original station incited. consistent with the concept that architecture services the general public, each proposal expires for any election today through august fifth.

image zaha hadid architects
all images thanks to flinders street station competition

the lauded architect has suggested a sweeping composition of crisp white-colored beams targeted at ushering inside a new trend of railway travel.

the look reframes the previous glory of train travel and adds impossible glamor towards the warm-hued historic structure healthy of the new galleria space, amphitheater and gratifaction pontoon around the river. bikes and pedestrian pathways carve the area inside a more openly welcoming network of circulation. usually sinuous volumes and bands of glazing produce a more permeable space.

‘our proposal weaves together a brief history from the station having a potent new form developing a new public place for future years, resolving the running challenges and celebrating the grandeur of travel.’

video zaha hadid architects
video courtesy flinders street station design competition

melbourne firm ashton raggatt mcdougall utilize local insight to translate the center from the site right into a rippling, reflective form. knowning that the ambitious purpose of the initial plans continued to be unfulfilled, the proposal approaches the dome and clocktower as pebbles inside a lake and also the subsequent architectural manifestation being an expression of river’s edge. natural lines from the site be a wandering promenade, as the historic queen’s bridge reacts to urban blight having a greened path for pedestrians and cyclists.

our plan supplies a new school within the legendary old building completely new connections to platforms, city, and river the riverwalk wanders over water and within eco-friendly roof ecosystem for plants and wild birds.

the exterior and interior forms tap into the movement from the yarra river, which runs across the site

image ashton raggatt mcdougall

video ashton raggatt mcdougall
video thanks to flinders street station design competition

the swiss duo will work with firm HASSELL to have an arched network that recalls the functional blueberry alley vaulted ceiling while carving out space for connective programming. the central architectural gesture is really a wealthy tectonic fabric across the interior from the multiplied lengthy-span vaults. the elements-proofed, latticed interior skin creates terminals replete with dappled light and permit passengers a far more dynamic experience. infrastructurally, the proposal seeks to weave together various disparate programs through circulation and share public space. a below-grade bike path with the old western concourse will link the forest and also the nearby elizabeth street.

the station is better integrated using the city, the forest and federation square. distinctive and memorable architecture sits with significant social space and quality public amenity.

begin to see the full designboom article around the herzog de meuron proposal here

video herzog de meuron
video courtesy flinders street station design competition

a hybrid group of grimshaw and john wardle architects suggested possibly probably the most dramatic programmatic alternation in the design posits the relation from the existing concourse in order to liberate the eastern fringe of the station precinct. the move frees federation square to become covered public area that restores historic lines of sight. the combination of the new melbourne design museum and thickened riverside vaults belongs to a larger synthesis of new and old urban compositions and options for that precinct. a heightened park develop a veritable and verdant area that both enhances and continues the architectonic language from the city in particular.

the station is definitely an ensemble, each part precisely considerate of their place around town. its theatrical nature is amplified through the stitching of city to river. landscape, bridges and vaults would be the threads.

video grimshaw architects
video courtesy flinders street station design competition

an large-scale growth of colombian architect eduardo velasquez’s award-winning graduate thesis, the proposal improves the existing heritage fabric having a design strategy dedicated to the connective potential of the courtyard. the out-of-use ballroom and gymnasium is going to be converted inside a transportation museum. the finest additions really are a glass box atrium that enables the passage of daylight while developing a protective skin for that sensitive historic structures. a corridor-ridden urban park is placed to develop using the entertainment-hungry city and open the waterfront to evolve right into a cultural corridor.

a courtyard inside a station is definitely an urban vision that professionally embraces the website heritage although meeting the requirements of the modern stop. it’s a project for anyone in which a new urban forest will end up the real heart of melbourne.

metal trusses and ample glazing can remember the historic tectonics from the station while supplying a brand new, breatheable central courtyard
image eduardo velasquez + manuel pineda + santiago medina

video eduardo velasquez + manuel pineda + santiago medina
video courtesy flinders street station design competition

local firm NH architecture tries to bridge the victorian past of melbourne using its present and ever-global future using a glass lattice roof that floats over the concourse. the elements-conscious, dynamic roof enables for uninterrupted views from the historic station while creating the development of pedestrian commuter bridges. within the spirit of retaining the station’s open-air spatial sequencing, the dome and elizabeth clocktower will stay untouched however, the suggested ‘melbourne room’ will accommodate cultural spillover from federation square and also the victorian arts center.

NH architecture’s proposal connects flinders street station to a different future through elements attracted in the memory of the city’s citizens…[their] collective melbourne-liness.

video NH architecture
video courtesy flinders street station design competition

Zaha hadid: Its a wonderful functioning artwork&#8230.&#8221 a wow factor&#8221 anything.
Ashton Ruggatt McDowgall: It has soul however the forms are fragmented&#8230.
Herzog and De meuron: Loved the rhythm of sunshine and space&#8230needed to allow more to local sensibilities&#8230.like strong connecting and transition towards the historic building
Eduardo Valasquez+manuel pineda+sandiago medina: It appears as though it’s sorted. brilliant approach. only factor may be the internal form looks dated, particularly the posts and slabs in terminal area.
Grimshaw + John Wardle architects: I believe this design got everything. It has soul in design, an uplifting form by having an eclectic mix, sensible to communal activities and enormous open eco-friendly spaces&#8230
NH Architecture: Its a great design, insufficient substance and synthesis for any project such as this.

Srinadh Vennam states:

Eduardo Velasquez and teams proposal is definitely the very best urban design solution. it’ll really serve the folks well but adds value towards the city. Hopefully they win it and may carry it out

Zahas is excellent searching and advanced however , more eye chocolate. It’s an legendary design feeding her ego greater than you.

HDM &#8211 easy and elegant but maybe a little too boring to have an important landmark such as this- and aside from the plaza doesn’t add much towards the urban fabric..

Others- can’t say much abt them- bit too fragmented and seeking way too hard

Gaurang Khemka states:

Zaha Hadid’s design looks fabulous and attractive. Is going to be a symbol for Melbourne.

Eduardo Valesquez proposal can also be beautiful, although it jogs my memory from the Farshid Mousavi’s design on Yokohama Terminal, take a look at this:

A minimum of the idea is extremely similar! Getting stated that, it’s still beatiful!.

To be sure with lots of the above mentioned sentiments- I really like the Zaha Hadid the perception of its monumentality and sheer scale- she makes this type of large structure appear so light and easy- nonetheless its attachment and integration in to the existing urban (and natural) fabric appears tenuous at the best.

And also the Velasquez co. design, while beautiful, can be a bit impractical for this type of busy station- as somebody who makes use of this station (almost) every single day, I’m able to testify to that particular! Same applies to the Ashton et al. proposal- attempting to defend all individuals plants against this type of busy place (as well as the unpredictable, dry local climate) is going to be difficult, I imagine!

I additionally echo Srinadh’s point the HDM design, while elegant, is too boring in my tastes. Plus, its roof design appears to echo that already available at Southern Mix station nearby- we want greater than a fancy roof for this type of convenient location!

The NH proposal, while rather less extravagant, appeared in my experience to become a nice compromise between interesting architectural forms, integration in to the existing urban fabric and actual utility like a public station. However, I’m coming around towards the Grimshaw co. proposal- it appears to echo the website’s background and adapt it towards the present day a lot more clearly than these.

I’m able to’t wait to determine what proposal (or no) they select- this sit continues to be screaming for renewal for such a long time, it’ll be considered a welcome addition towards the heart from the city!