Brief History of DC Metro System

Design of London Underground Map

Designed by Harry Beck in 1931, London Underground Map is the classic and is followed by other metro systems of the world.

World Subway Systems Revisited

I found the charts and maps in previous post on the world subway systems are not very effective in communicating the analysis. This diagram try to combine everything in one and include several more subway systems.

The to-scale subway map diagrams are produced by Neil Freeman.

Precedents Section Diagrams

Other Metro Systems in Americas

Metro System: Past, Now & Future

A diagram showing the chronological development of the Metro system.


Existing and planned railway systems.


Imagining the potentials that the separated Blue Line could create for the city of Washington.

Tunnel Boring Machine

A very clear and concise presentation about how Tunnel Boring Machine works.

Metro Systems Statistics

Riderships comparison between major metro systems in the world.


Most of the world's busiest metro system has 8 to 13 lines.

London Underground, the world's first metro system, has the longest subway network in the world.

New York Subway has the highest number of stations among the world metro systems. The difference between the two bars are the number of transfers in each system.

DC Metro possesses longest average line length of 21.4 mile per line in this comparison.

The average distance between stations of DC Metro system is 2km (1.25 mi), which means some areas between two consecutive stations are not covered by a half-mile radius.


This chart shows how many transfer in the system. High number means more interconnections between lines and the system is more web-like.

Program

World's Top-ten Busiest Metro System

Dubai Metro

Just found something about Dubai Metro:
http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/dubai-metro/#dubai-metro_17640

Vault & Construction | Vault Modeling

In Giuseppe Fallacara's lecture on Stereotomy two weeks ago, what impressed me most was the integration between the structure and the architecture, as well as the understanding of geometry. So I found it would be really interesting to explore the form and pattern of vault of the metro station. Here are images of my first test.

Vault & Construction | Munich Subway Stations

Munich Subway's construction begun in 1965, and the first trains ran in 1971, five years ahead of Washington DC. Given the geological and groundwater conditions, as well as cost consideration, there are five principal construction processes used in Munich subway stations.

1) Open-Cast Construction
- just below grade
- building pit is beveled or secured by walls
- requires large construction areas
- more flexibility in design


Open construction, Subway Architecture in Munich, p.33

2) Bored-Pile and Cover-Slab Construction
- bored-pile wall
- generates column-free space
- reduce surface interruption


Bored-Pile and Cover-Slab construction, Subway Architecture in Munich, p.33

3) Bored-Pile and Cover-Slab Construction with Inner Shell
- when the station is under groundwater level
- additional impermeable inner concrete shell is built

4) Diaphragm Wall and Cover-Slab Construction
- when the station is fully under groundwater level
- excavation after diaphragm wall and cover-slab are constructed
- multi-story basement structure
- structure grows form top downwards


Diaphragm Wall and Cover-Slab construction, Subway Architecture in Munich, p.37

5) Mine Tunneling Construction
- extremely deep situation
- use of shotcrete, but cracks and leakages are not avoidable


Mine Tunneling construction, Subway Architecture in Munich, p.39

Vault & Construction | Introduction

"The design of a subway station starts with the structural design of the shell and ends with the artificial light reflecting from ceilings, walls and platforms." [Christoph, p.11]

Rolf Schirmer wrote in Christoph Hackelsberger's book "Subway Architecture in Munich", concerning the design of the subway stations that lie underneath a street or building. It prompts me to start my research on the structural system and construction of underground stations.

The Metro stations in Washington DC employed vault design for the underground stations. The concrete vault provided a vast column-less space for the platform and have become a signature of the Metro system.

In this series of post "Vault and Construction", I will document different construction methods of the subway stations, and explore the design of the vault.



Cast-in-place concrete vault of Metro station

Canning Town Station, London

http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~owend/I/R/stnpages/canningtown.html

Metro Light Show

A very interesting idea came out from last Thursday class - Light Show of Metro Arrival. It is to react to the lack of locality and distinctive features in the existing underground stations.

The idea is to install LEDs on the concrete vault, and they will be powered by wind turbines which capture the air flow in the tunnel when the train is approaching. Therefore, dynamic patterns, that react to the speed of the train, will be generated as the train arrive and leave the station. In addition, platform paving, seating and lighting can also be modified to incoporate with the local theme.




By the way, there are too many words than graphics in this blog right now. It's time to start producing pretty graphics to convey my thesis.

The Jubilee Line Extension

The Jubilee Line Extension (JLE) in London is the greatest example to learn from. Each stations of the line are custom designed by architects. It would be interesting to understand the arguments behind that decision and to see in what extend DC Metro can learn from it.

Following are quotes from the Roland Paoletti's Foreword to the book "The Jubilee Line Extension". Roland is the Architect-in-Charge of the overall JLE project, who was also a transport architect in Hong Kong.

The Jubilee Line has a maintenance depot, a control center and eleven stations.... Nine of the eleven are interchanges, making this the only line on the Underground to connect to all existing lines. Four of the stations have large new bus stations attached.

The route and stations of the extension effectively link Victorian construction with the modern world....new stations have been built to advanced architectural concepts...based on the latest technology.

In short, the proposal was that each of the eleven stations of the extension should be designed as an individual entity, but linked to the others by an underlying philosophy and essential elements. Each should be unique and should contribute strongly to its neighborhood while at the same time representing recognizably the best of London Underground.

They are a great expression of confidence in the future. Our stations are big enough to accommodate the needs of Londoners for the next 100 years. In all this innovation, there is also a profound continuity. The Extension shows that the Underground can power the re-shaping and revitalization of our great city like no other force.

The most popular millennium sight of all has turned out to be ... Canary Wharf tube station (not the Ferris Wheel). It has really caught the public imagination. And everybody can afford the tickets. This is the true people's building.

The Canary Wharf Station, London, by Norman Foster

Potential Sites

After considering different criteria for site selection, I am now in favor of the following 4 stations. These sites include different conditions of the station, and each of them has very unique context. They will be used as case study sites for the thesis. Existing stations and their context will be analyzed and documented. The intention is to suggest alternate ways to perceive Metro stations in a broader context.

Farragut North Station
- Need capacity improvement
- Pedestrian pathway to Farragut West station
- Potential intersection station with the separated Blue Line
- Downtown underground station

New Carrollton Station
- Terminal station
- Interchange of Metro, Amtrak, and Purple Line
- Transit-Oriented Development
- Above grade station

Reston Parkway Station (Silver Line)
- Silver Line connects Dulles airport with Washington DC
- Mixed-use development
- Existing active neighborhood center
- Above grade station

Oklahoma Ave Station (North of RFK Stadium)
- Major Redevelopment envisioned by NCPC
- New station on Orange Line
- Potential intersection station with the separated Blue Line
- Strategic location: East gateway to the city
- With both above grade and underground conditions
- Proximity to Anacostia River

Site Issues

As I am still struggling with the site for my design proposal, I want to sort out some thoughts by this post.

1) Not a prototype
My thesis will debate for a localized station design versus a unify architectural theme. The intention is to tie the design of the station with the urban, socio-cultural and economic context of the neighborhood. Since each neighborhood has its own character, the design on different site will be different to reflect local needs and characters. I believe Metro station is a neighborhood center, which plays important role in shaping the image of the neighborhood.

2) Limitations in renovating existing underground stations
As I said in previous post, the concrete vaults of the existing underground stations create a strong image for the Metro system as well as the city, which I think it should be preserved unless with strong reasons. And technically, it is also challenging to renovate the underground station without disturbing the train operation and to justify the cost.

Yet I think it is still possible for me to have a site as existing underground station. I imagine it may be an existing station that intersects with a new line in the future. It would be interesting to see how the two come together if the two lines do not share track.

3) Strategic and important location
My thesis argues that strategic and important location of the stations will help justifying the need to consider metro stations to be more than infrastructure. For instance, a gateway to the city, stations along major axises of the city or memorial sites, terminal stations, key intersections of metro lines or intermodal stations are all potential sites for the thesis proposal.

Existing DC Metro Stations

Entrance of Existing Metro stations.


Platform of Existing Metro Stations.

The image above shows the platform conditions some existing stations. Despite of their gloomy interior, the concrete vaults, coffers or arches provide a unifying theme for the 46 underground stations. These vaults are impressive and have created an unique atmosphere to welcome the train. They are signatures of DC Metro that really capture DC newcomers' eyes.

Although my thesis wants to argue that the architecture of the stations are currently lacking a relationship with the neighborhood context, I still think that unless I have really strong reasons, ie. not just from architectural point of view, the existing character of vault should be kept.

Thesis Abstract #2

With soaring gas prices, and rapid urbanization, many transit-oriented developments are planned and being built in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The Metro system has become more popular and many stations are reaching their capacity after 32 years of service. Studies have been done to identify the various needs in capital improvement. However, the architectural opportunities for station improvement remain underexplored.

This thesis intends to rethink the role of Metro stations. It considers Metro stations as more than infrastructure, but also as neighborhood centers and vital physical elements in the city. It anticipates an organic relationship between the station and the neighborhood and explores the opportunity to animate the program of the stations by reexamining the relationship between Metro stations and their urban / suburban, socio-cultural and economic context.

Existing stations with capacity-improvement needs or potential future stations will be investigated as test sites for the proposition. Precedents of railway station designs will be analyzed to compare and contrast with the existing Metro stations as part of the research.
They will lead to the exploration of the programming and design of the stations.

The goal of this thesis is to seek opportunities to create more dynamic and culturally integrated architecture of Metro stations for the national capital and thus to strengthen the urban centers as well as enhance the image of the neighborhoods in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.

Retrospect of the Thesis Match Event

I agree with what Brian said that it is a "reiterative" process for us to introduce our thesis propositions over and over again. I really enjoyed talking with the professors and the students passing by. Even though I didn't talk to all the professors, I gained far more that I expected through this process.

From the conversations I had in the two evenings, I discovered that the key issue for me right now is to decide how I want to look at site in my thesis. Should I marry with one particular site? Should I consider a sequence of stations? How about several case study sites? Or make up a station? At some point I agree with Ambrose that my thesis proposition is more program-driven. So I will give myself one week to figure it out.

Another question I need to address is that not many people have problem with the existing stations. So how should I position my statement such that my thesis make more sense to them? How can I present the issue such that they will find it relevant? I guess right now I am still not quite clear about what my thesis statement is about.

Metro Map (To Scale)

This map is created to understand how the Metro stations spread in DC Metropolitan area.

Thesis Flyer

I created this flyer to give out in the committee match event. The diagram represents the current outline of my thesis.

Thesis Abstract #1

Rethink DC Metro Station

Design a Better Station for the Neighborhoods

This thesis studies the condition of the Metro Stations as an element in the city. It considers the role of the stations as the major access points in the city and explores what the architecture of the stations could be.

The research will analyze the architecture of the existing stations in relation to their urban or suburban context. The analysis will cover the form and urban setting of the stations, including the relationships between the stations and the ground plane, roads, pedestrian network, city fabric, community space, surrounding architecture etc. This analysis might also consider the potential expansion of the Metro system such as the separate blue line.

Precedents of railway stations design will be used to compare and contrast with the existing Metro stations as part of the research. It will then lead to the exploration of the design of the metro stations. Station(s) with richer context and higher design potentials will be identified as site for the design proposal.

The programs of the design proposal will be developed based on the urban, socio-cultural and economics context of the site, so that the station can perform as a vibrant element in its context. At the same time, the function of the building should be kept as railway station primarily.

The goal of this thesis is to seek opportunities to create more interesting architecture for the Metro stations in the national capital. So that the new design of the stations can rejuvenate the neighborhoods and create vibrant urban centers in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area.

Norman Foster | Canary Wharf, London

http://maps.live.com/
Canary Wharf station is located at a dense office district .



http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Canary_wharf_tube_station_750px.jpg
The ground extend into the station through the wide entrance.



http://www.e-architect.co.uk/london/jpgs/london_building_aw230607_2820.jpg
Glass entrance canopy allows sunlight to penetrate into the ticket concourse, linking the underground environment with the light and air outside.



http://www.greenroofs.com/archives/media/sg-canary_wharf_tube_station.jpg
The roof of the station is a park, a livable open space among surrounding high-rise buildings.

Railway Stations as Nodes

"Nodes are points, the strategic foci into which one the observer can enter, and
which are the intensive foci to and from which he is traveling." [Lynch p.47]

Characteristics of Nodes

- junctions of paths

- thematic concentration

- spatial organizers/orienting points in the city

- decision making points

- strong form -> more memorable

- introvert / extrovert (directional quality)

Lynch discussed railway stations as nodes specifically in his book for few times. For instance, he said some subway stations are important points in a map of a city, and major railroad stations are almost always important city nodes. An example he gave was Boston's South Station, which was one of the strongest nodes in the city because of it is both functionally vital and visually impressive. [Lynch p.74]

Railway stations are usually major concentration points that many people go to and gather around. The notion of node can also be strengthened if the exit is addressed with an entrance plaza. However in this sense, many subway stations in New York City are not strong nodes. They are merely stairs or escalators come out from holes in the ground right next to the streets and sidewalks.

In Washington DC where density is not as high as New York City, there are higher potentials for the subway stations to be overtly announced as strategic nodes in the city, especially at locations closely related to the symbolic plan of DC. Visually prominent stations in such locations can also strengthen the quality of nodes and make the place more memorable.

Jacobs | Blackfriars Station, London

World Architecture News

It will be the first station across the river Thames. The redevelopment of the Blackfriars Station will extend the current platforms across the Thames to the South bank, with entrances on both sides of the river. The project will upgrade the capacity of the station, and improve the interchange facilities between the Tube and National Rail services. It will also improve access from the station to major attractions such as Tate Modern and Shakespeare's Globe theatre. This project is a good example for considering the station as a path, connecting the North and South bank of Thames, improving pedestrian connectivity in the city.

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=10207

Railway Stations as District

"Districts are the relatively large city areas which the observer can mentally go inside of, and which have some common character" [Lynch p.66]

It is difficult for one to consider railway as a district. I can only think of rail yard, which cover large city area. But I cannot mentally go inside it. I think rail yard is a forbidden land in a city, it is a dead zone for pedestrian.

Among the current proposals for the redevelopment of the West Side Rail Yard in New York City, none of them have fully explored the potentially rich relationship between the railyards and the development above them, according to New York Times critics.1 It is likely that the "potentially rich relationship" is in fact not so rich, that those architects chose not to emphasize in their designs.

http://www.nypress.com/images/westside.jpg

Railway Stations as Edges

"Edges are the linear elements not used or considered as paths by the observer." [Lynch p.47]

However, "Edges are often paths as well...the circulation image seemed to be the dominant one. The element was usually pictured as a path, reinforced by boundary characteristics." [Lynch p.65]

Not to consider Lynch contradicted himself, I think what he tried to explain was that: from the observer's point of view, there are some linear elements which are clearly Paths (eg. Key Bridge in DC), while some are clearly Edges (water line of the Potomac River). But there are some that possess the characteristics of both Path and Edge.

Characteristics of Edges
- may be boundaries between two kinds of areas
- lateral references rather than coordinate axes
- visually & spatially penetrable / impenetrable
- uniting seams / isolating barriers
- continual / fragmented
- visual & spatial prominence
- directional

Railway lines are observed as edges by people not on the train. In many cases, they are visually and spatially impenetrable unless they are elevated as well as constructed in a way that they have better looking. While subways, which are buried in the ground, clearly show no characteristics of Edges.

Railway stations are segments of the railway lines. They are also observed as edges in the city. They are usually adjacent to public squares, open spaces or roads where the linear form of the station will give a significant boundary to the adjacent space. However, such edges may become urban barriers for pedestrians and vehicles if they are not well designed.

The Bijlmer ArenA Station in Amsterdam, designed by Grimshaw Architects, is a good example of converting an urban barrier to a uniting seam between the two sides of the station. Plus it is architecturally appealing.

For subway stations, which are the connections between the buried paths and the upper ground, are the mere opportunities to express the edge qualities through the superstructure of the stations. As many subway alignments follow major corridors in the city, the edge expression can work with the paths to enhance each other.

However, in a dense urban core where subways usually serve, such expression become too expensive to achieve, and not quite fit in the context. It is reasonable to keep a modest gesture for the stations and to develop a more extensive underground network in urban core.

While if the stations are located outside the urban core where land pressure is not very tight, there are more potential to build a visually prominent architecture for the stations.

Grimshaw | Bijlmer ArenA Station, Amsterdam

Grimshaw Architects
World Architecture News

"Prior to the construction the station split the east and west of the city with a commercial development and stadium to the west and to the east a residential area highly populated with Amsterdam's immigrant workers. The new design raised the rail tracks creating a pedestrianised plaza crossing underneath the lines through viaducts and adjoining the east and west."

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=10130

Railway Stations as Paths

"Paths are the channels along which the observer customarily, occasionally, or potentially moves." [Lynch p.47]

Characteristics of Paths
- width / narrowness, shape
- facade characteristics
- proximity to special features of the city
- special use or activity, movement
- continuity / fragmented
- directional quality & terminal point, spatial corridor & limits
- connections, intersections, branches

By definition, railway lines are channels that move people from one place to another, no matter it is above ground or underground. When they are above ground, they are clearly lines in the city. Passengers on the train can have different views of the city as they travel along the railway lines. But when they are underground, as Lynch put it, they are detached from surrounding elements and environment. The subway is a disconnected nether world [p.57]

One difference between railways and other paths is that people are not free to move away the channels, neither they can change their directions as they will. Passengers do not have to make any decision once they get on the train, and know exactly where they want to get off. Moreover, passengers will all get the same view of the city every time when they are above ground. It is also hard for them to interact with other elements along their ways due to the enclosed environment and the speed of the train. All of these in fact weaken the image of the railway line itself and thus dilute the traveling experience. Therefore, passengers like me pay less attention to the image of the city that is viewed from railway paths, and just focus on their own interest, like reading or music..

For railway stations, on the other hand, its role as a path is secondary. Railway stations are points on the path system which mark the start and end of a passenger's journey. They are major entrance/exit of a place and are always regarded as city nodes [p.74] in this broad scale.

While in the architectural scale, the railway stations by nature have a linear form. The long concourse and platform area can be integrated into the path system. It's horizontal facade or elevated structure can also provide a directional quality to the surrounding environment. However, such directional quality is always lost in subway stations. The linear nature of the station is not usually reflected by its superstructure. Integrating the stations to the path system become a challenging task.

In short, even though the railway lines are obvious paths in the city, railway stations are rarely recognized as paths. However, there are a lot of opportunities for the railway stations to enhance the adjacent paths, as well as to integrate with the path system.

The Image of the City, Kevin Lynch

In this book, Kevin Lynch considered the legibility of the American cities by studying how the citizens perceive their cities. His study was focus on the effect of the physical elements of the city, ie. paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks as defined in the book. And he suggested that a legible city would be one whose physical elements are easily identifiable and are easily grouped into an overall pattern. [p.3] So a legible city would have a distinctive, memorable image in people's mind that they can easily orient themselves and navigate the city without getting lost.

By studying Boston, Jersey City and Los Angeles, Lynch delineated the different characteristics and qualities of the five elements of the city. And he investigated how the design of these elements can contribute in building or strengthening the image of the city.

I would like to apply Lynch's study to the subject of my thesis - Metro station. Using the five elements as a framework to consider the role of Metro station in the city, as well as to anlyze the qualities of the forms of existing stations. Therefore, one goal of my thesis will be to enhance the image of a transit-oriented neighborhood through the design of the metro station.

2030 DC Metro Plan

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/images/200805/2030forwmatalarge.png

This map summarized the system expansion plans and other improvement studies of WMATA.

The site of my thesis will be probably selected from the existing / improved / future stations shown in this map.

Initial Ideas about the thesis

Title
Rethink DC Metro Station
- Design Better Station for the Neighborhoods

Thesis Questions

• What is the role of Metro station in the city? Can it be more than just an exit of the railway?
• How efficient is our current metro stations in performing as a neighborhood center?
• How can the architecture of metro station become a catalyst for a Transit-Oriented Development?

Research Strategy

• Compare and contrast the railway system of different metropolitan areas
• Document and analyze the architecture of the existing Metro stations in DC metro
• Analysis should cover the relationships between the station with the ground plane, roads, pedestrian network, city fabric, community space, surrounding architecture etc.
• Reference to other railway station projects

Site Selection

• An existing Metro station(s) or future Metro station(s)

Intervention Opportunity

• Design of the Metro station and the spaces around it
• Planning for the neighborhood around the Metro station

DC Metro and Hong Kong MTR

I left Hong Kong 4 years ago and have been living and working in Washington DC Metro area since then. I work in Arlington, Virginia while living in Silver Spring, Maryland. Therefore, DC Metro has become part of my life. It gives me very different experiences in comparing with Hong Kong MTR. To list some of those:

- Train schedule
Metro's train schedule is not as frequent as MTR. A Metro train comes every 4-6 mins in rush hour and 15-20 mins for non-rush hour and weekend. In Hong Kong, most of the trains come in 2-3 mins, and not more than 10 mins. In DC, I feel like I am discouraged to use Metro in non-rush hour and weekend.

- Delay
I travel with Metro usually at 7:30-9am and 6-7:30pm through red and orange line. In my limited experience, sometimes I still feel like Metro has delays every other day. Just one single mechanical error can cause 45mins delay for the whole line. While living in Hong Kong for more than 20 years, I probably can count the number of delays with my two hands.

- Car Environment
I think one good thing about Metro is that the seats are more comfortable than Hong Kong MTR. I can have a pretty pleasant trip with my readings if the car is not too crowd. However, there are few cars that are poorly ventilated, stank, and sometimes with lights off.

- Station
The station is another big different. In Hong Kong, most of the stations are air-conditioned and have security screen wall between the track and the platform. There are extensive underground networks linking the underground stations with shopping malls and major landmarks. And the ground stations are prominent buildings and are incorporated with housing developments.

- Cell Phone network
I don't like people talking on their phone too loud near me especially when I am tired after a day of hard work. However, getting no signal at the underground portion of Metro is very inconvenient and sometimes frustuating. It is never an issue in Hong Kong where I take such service for granted. But I am glad that thing might change in the future.

Overall, I see there are a lot of rooms for improvement in the current Metro system. To me, reducing, if not solving, the delay problem as well as providing more-frequent service are at the top of the list.

My thesis is drvien by rethinking the role and design of metro station in the hope of building a better Metro system for the national capital.