The final designs have been unveiled for Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel five new underground stations, each with their own distinctive characteristics.
Releasing the concept images on Wednesday, state transport minister Jacinta Allan said she hoped the stations for the $11 billion project would become “landmarks” of inner-city Melbourne.
“These new underground stations obviously have to work well from a passenger point of view — we need to make it easy for people to access these stations and to move around the train system,” Allan said.
“But we also recognise there’s a special and unique opportunity to create new landmarks with these five new underground stations and that’s why a lot of effort, a lot of thought, a lot of time and energy went into the design of these five new underground stations.”
The $11 billion Metro Tunnel project, now in the beginning stages of its construction – carried out by consortium led by Lendlease Engineering, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital – will link the Sunbury and Cranbourne/Pakenham lines via a 9-kilometre tunnel, with five new stations.
The designs have been developed by a collaboration of the architects Hassell, Weston Williamson and Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners.
North Melbourne Station, located near the corner of Arden and Laurens streets, is to feature a brick arched entrance (to reflect the area’s industrial heritage) and skylights that will enable natural light to filter down on the platforms and concourse.
Parkville Station, to be built below Grattan Street between Royal Parade and Leicester Street, will feature a glass roof that provides passengers with a leafy view of outside trees and a liberal dose of sunlight as they make their way to and from the trains.
Click to enlarge. Source: Rail Projects Victoria
The entrances of the State Library Station (located under Swanston Street, between La Trobe Street and Franklin Street) and Town Hall Station (under City Square on Swanston Street) will include redesigned laneways including cafes and retail shops. The State Library Station will also feature an underground passenger connection to Melbourne Central Station.
Anzac Station, situated underground on St. Kilda Road next to the Shrine of Remembrance, will feature an architecturally designed canopy reaching up from below ground, providing both natural light and weather protection for passengers.
“The final designs for the Metro Tunnel’s five new underground train stations will deliver the best passenger experience in stunningly designed and spacious settings,” Allan said.
“The Metro Tunnel will deliver five new architectural landmarks for Melbourne and the turn-up-and-go train system our city needs.”