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Author Topic: Station seating design competition  (Read 1281 times)
stuving
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« on: January 11, 2020, 23:49:32 »

The London Festival of Architecture, with Network Rail, is holding this competition called "sitting pretty". I'm not sure it's really about producing practical designs that will be used, if you read the blurb:

Quote
LFA and Network Rail have announced the design teams shortlisted to develop a new take on station seating, to brighten the experience of Londoners, commuters and visitors in some of London’s largest train stations, in time for the Festival’s return to the capital in June 2020.

Architecture and design students, recent graduates and emerging practitioners were invited to consider engaging and imaginative seating solutions that can add value to and maximise the possibilities of the under-used public space within stations. With the opportunity to completely transform how passengers sit and wait for their trains, the competition seeks to inform a prototype for how a future of station seating might look, with the potential for winning ideas to be replicated across stations by Network Rail in the future.

LFA runs a lot of these competitions, several of which recently have been around stations if not in them. There was one about wayfinding around London Bridge station, and last year Wandsworth Borough supported one to brighten up the space under a railway bridge (Thessaly Road), won by Yinka Ilori. Pretty, huh?

Picture from dezeen, with more pictures and details there.
« Last Edit: January 12, 2020, 09:23:39 by stuving » Logged
CyclingSid
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« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2020, 08:35:42 »

I hope whatever appears will be better than the current (?) pierced bent metal design. This is a long way down with no arm rests to support when you have arthritic knees. I normally end up "sitting" on the curved top of the back rest, facing backwards not with my feet on the seat.
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Surrey 455
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« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2020, 09:04:05 »


LFA runs a lot of these competitions, several of which recently have been around stations if not in them. There was one about wayfinding around London Bridge station, and last year Wandworth Borough supported one to brighten up the space under a railway bridge (Thessaly Road), won by Yinka Ilori. Pretty, huh?

Similarly, two years ago, West Drayton railway bridge was refurbished with the history of the local area along the pedestrian walkways.

From London Borough of Hillingdon
Quote
The bridge has undergone an impressive facelift, including an extensive clean of its concrete pillars and facades and the installation of an specially-designed timeline mural that tells the history of the area from the years 929 to 2019. It has also been given new LED lighting.

The mural captures interesting and unique points of interest in West Drayton and Yiewsley, reminding local people of its agricultural and industrial heritage. 

Photo from Links Signs
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Bmblbzzz
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« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2020, 15:24:25 »

Wow, you'd almost think you were at Stapleton Road!  Cheesy
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Waiting at Pilning for the midnight sleeper to Prague.
stuving
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« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2020, 20:08:15 »

The "Sitting pretty" competition results (i.e. the seats)  were announced and unveiled on 13th October, which was hardly good timing. They have been put in four London terminals: Waterloo, Charing Cross, Victoria, and London Bridge - where few, if any, of us have been lately.

All five are pictured in the LFA announcement, and here's the one that most obviously fits the title: it's called "ConvoStation", by The United Suburbs, and is at Charing Cross Station.


That should please you inner child, if not your somewhat older ischial tuberosities (remember them?)
« Last Edit: November 14, 2020, 12:30:19 by stuving » Logged
stuving
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« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2020, 20:16:16 »

LFA has another competition to tart up a railway arch, with the shortlist announced yesterday (and I doubt anyone here has heard of any of them). The remit was:
Quote

Arch 42 is one of a series of arches forming a section of the Victorian railway viaduct carrying the South Western main line into Waterloo station. Currently presenting a significant barrier to movement in the local area, it will be opened up to create a vital new route between Nine Elms station, Nine Elms Lane and the River Thames, and linking up with pedestrian and cycle routes running through Nine Elms. The new gateways to Arch 42 will form part of significant public realm improvements around the new Northern Line stations including new pavements, tree planting, increased cycle parking, new seating and wayfinding.

The shortlisted teams will be awarded a ?500 honorarium to develop their proposals, which will feature in an online public exhibition, opening in early December. The overall budget for the winning design is expected to be in the region of ?165,000 to develop and deliver the project that will be installed ahead of the scheduled opening of the Northern Line Extension in Autumn 2021.

There's also a public bench competition going on - called "Pews and Perches".
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broadgage
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« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2020, 22:31:12 »

In my view, the exact design of station seating is being over considered.
Most stations IMHO (in my humble opinion) need MORE seating, of a cheap, simple, robust and vandal resistant design. The existing perforated bent steel benches are acceptable, but would be improved by adding arm rests at each end.

Quantity is more important than quality in my view.

Many of us have seen the recent TV series about Paddington station, and the various delays and breakdowns that have occurred. In most such cases, more concourse seating would have been appreciated.

Another problem is seating INTENDED for use of any passenger, but which becomes "misappropriated" by station catering outlets. At Kings Cross in particular I have observed this.
Try sitting on some seats that are intended for any passenger !
"Would you like to order straight away sir ?"
" Not just yet, I will leave a menu for you"
"Would you like a drink whilst deciding on your order ?"

And similar inquiries that don't actually state that "you must order food or drink to sit here" but certainly IMPLY this.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU (Diesel Multiple Unit) is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
IndustryInsider
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« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2020, 11:17:42 »

In my view, the exact design of station seating is being over considered.
Most stations IMHO (in my humble opinion) need MORE seating, of a cheap, simple, robust and vandal resistant design. The existing perforated bent steel benches are acceptable, but would be improved by adding arm rests at each end.

Quantity is more important than quality in my view.

Very much in agreement with Broadgage on this one.  It does happen sometimes!  Wink

It does now seem to be the trend to install extra seating - Reading and Oxford have had dozens added in the past couple of years, though Paddington still has some way to go - but even there the refurbished lawn area seems to have a lot more seats, based on my perception rather than an actual count.
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To view my GWML (Great Western Main Line) Electrification cab video 'before and after' video comparison, as well as other videos of the new layout at Reading and 'before and after' comparisons of the Cotswold Line Redoubling scheme, see: http://www.dailymotion.com/user/IndustryInsider/
stuving
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« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2021, 13:04:51 »

The result of the Arch 42 competition was announced last month, and the winner was Projects Office:
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Competition winner revealed: Arch 42 Gateways

Emerging architecture practice Projects Office are revealed as the winners of the Arch 42 Gateways competition, organised by the London Festival of Architecture and Wandsworth Council. Their winning co-design project, ‘Tunnel Visions’ aims to bring the diverse and growing local community together through a new connection for Nine Elms, turning Arch 42 into a bold local landmark.
...
Founded by Megan Charnley, James Christian and Bethan Kay in 2015, Projects Office delight in projects which involve and celebrate communities, at work, at play or in the city. Building on this, their joyful proposal seeks to empower residents with a sense of ownership and forge connections between people and local places to eliminate loneliness.

The winners have a pretty page about their proposals, full of (unlinktoable) things that whizz and twirl and dance about:
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stuving
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« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2021, 10:51:25 »

And now ... the results of yet another London Festival of Architecture/Network Rail competition you never knew was happening have been announced:
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Curating Concourses: Winners revealed             NEWS | 25 / 05 / 21

Muslim Women in Architecture announced as winners of Curating Concourses competition

LFA and Network Rail have announced Muslim Women in Architecture (MWA) as the winners of the Curating Concourses competition. Their winning concept, “As you’re passing by”, looks to transform people’s experience of Euston Station’s concourse with a bold, and engaging installation that brings different communities together, using interactive design to communicate content in a way that is accessible to all.
...
As part of the LFA in June, MWA’s modular installation will display Network Rail’s Design Guidance Series, reimagining how these 29 printed documents can be exhibited in a more approachable and interactive way. The exhibition concept is split across a number of separate mobile ‘suitcase’ modules – with each featuring two double-sided hinged display panels.

As stations are among the most diverse ‘meeting points’ in our cities, “As you’re passing by” considers how stations can offer a more inclusive and accessible environment, informed by MWA’s experience of exclusion and empathy that shapes the collective’s approach to design as a result.

“As you’re passing by” makes use of simple, eye-catching elements to break down the key information, making this easy to see and understand even when passing-by from a distance. Using tactile surfaces, as well as contrasting tones and materiality, these panels illustrate the images and graphics from these documents, while also bringing attention to Network Rail’s subtle design intent that is often forgotten during the bustle of travel.


As a competition to design exhibition-type displays, it is rather navel-gazing for LFA. What did you make of the bit in there about "Network Rail’s subtle design intent"? It is very subtle indeed, isn't it?

There's a lot more words to explain it if you follow the link. If you are still baffled, there's a video: https://player.vimeo.com/video/551532544. You may of course still be baffled after seeing that.
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