South Morang Rail Extension, Melbourne Architectural Project, Australian Transportation Hub Images

South Morang Rail Extension in Melbourne

Public Transportation Hub Building Development in Victoria design by Cox Architecture, Australia

7 Nov 2019

South Morang Rail Extension

Architects: Cox Architecture

Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

The South Morang Rail Extension provides improved access to public transport services for Melbourne’s northern communities. The creation of two new stations (at South Morang and Thomastown) and the relocation and modernisation of a third (Epping Station) lie at the heart of this project, with all three forming key nodal points in a longer-term urban focus.

Each of the stations are clearly identifiable as three parts of a greater vision linking current and future activities. Their canopies operate as sculptural forms at a civic scale, folding and unfolding in response to site and functional contexts, while providing visual orientation via angled geometrical forms.

The design provides a sense of place for each of the stations, reflecting how users might engage with them. Form and materials speak of a robust and safe civic environment offering a warmth and scale suitable for community-focused public use. The stations are designed as catalysts for future renewal, including larger scale mixed-use developments and fine-grain projects harmonising with the station plazas.

These high-quality public spaces harness the vitality of public transport and interchange while providing venues for social exchange. Each was carefully devised to enhance local movement and provide legibility, linkage and activation to the existing urban form.

Five reasons why the facade looks the way it does
1. A Civic Identity
2. Open and transparent shelter over public space and platforms
3. Robust response to harsh rail environment
4. Unifying and recognizable element
5. Form and material creating legibility of use

Evolution of skin
Method of façade has evolved into a more 3 dimensional exercise where ground, wall and roof plane become one skin. Steel panels, robust and maintainable, optimise their flexible nature in form-making whilst timber provides a soffit of warmth and welcome.

Innovative form and function
Recognizable language of Civic markers with a consistent identity is achieved in one move of the folded facade plane. Origami method of folded form creates inherent structural efficiencies, providing light weight structure, covering public space and platforms without imposing structure in pedestrian and rail corridors, still achieving dynamic built form.

South Morang Rail Extension, Melbourne – Building Information

Design: Cox Architecture
Project size: 32000 sqm
Project Budget: $650000000
Completion date: 2012

Photographs: Dianna Snape

Cox Architecture

South Morang Rail Extension in Melbourne images / information received 071119

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