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Opened by the Caledonian Railway in 1879,Glasgow Central Station is one of those timelessstations that is recognised both nationallyand internationally. Both its external andinternal built fabric are protected by statute,with features like its highly decorated ashlarsandstone and granite facades, porte-chochereand arcading and delicate fligrees of glass andcast-iron all contributing to its A category listing. “OUR REFURBISHMENTAIMED TO PROVIDE A HIGHIMPACT MODERN DESIGNTHAT RESPECTED THEORIGINAL STATION BUTTHAT DID NOT RESORT TOPASTICHE ALL WITHINACHIEVABLE COST ANDTIME LIMITS PRIOR TO THECOMMONWEALTH GAMESIN †“‘”IIn November 2013, Network Rail invited us to puttogether proposals for a series of interventions withinthe station that would elevate the quality of passengerexperience via improved way-fnding, lighting,signage, materials and overall levels of design.Recent refurbishment works undertaken on the stationhad been of poor quality, both in terms of materials anddesign. This work has unsurprisingly dated badly andappears inconsistent with the Victorian architecture ofthe original station.Our refurbishment aimed to provide a high impactmodern design that respected the original station butthat did not resort to pastiche – all within achievablecost and time limits prior to the CommonwealthGames in 2014.Our solution? To reconnect routes through thestation by enhancing the visibility of critical pathsand gateways. This reduces the reliance on complexsignage by allowing the material and form of thesenew spaces to inform passengers of their function.In practice this meant heightening the presence ofthe low level station within the upper concoursethrough the introduction of a tall, delicate archwaystructure which recalls the station’s original decorativegateways and barriers.

It also meant intensifying the signifcance of secondaryaccess to Union Street through the introduction oflarge format porcelain tiles which create a dialoguewith the ashlar sandstone and granite of the originalbuilding. The large format gates, like the archway,feature ornate metalwork based on the motifs andsymbols found in the original station environment.Although signifcant in scale, the new arch andgateways are elegantly proportioned and delicatelyperforated, and laser cut steel plates help belie theirstructural weight.With these, we see a more timeless, elemental seriesof natural materials that respond to the originalstation environment, and that set the benchmark forany future development at Glasgow Central Station.Our designs have brought the station’s historical valueto the forefront, while being mindful of Glasgow’sbright future. Our work at Glasgow Central Station receiveda Scottish Design Award in 2015 for ‘Reuseof a Listed Building’ and a commendation inarts and leisure from the Glasgow Instituteof Architects in the same year. It also playeda part in the station’s recognition as NationalTransport Award’s and Europe’s 2014 “Stationof the Year”.

THINKMODULARBY ED NEWMAN’SANDERS,TECHNICAL DIRECTOR ˆ ˆ

Looking at images of Custom House Stationin London, most people would never guessthe majority of it was created in a factory andassembled on site by a gantry crane. This is astation that can change all of our assumptionsabout prefabricated, modular design. It is notonly an exemplar ‘kit of parts’ structure, but anaesthetically beautiful building.Custom House was a unique opportunity for designand construction. Each of the 10 new stationsbeing delivered by Crossrail has a unique character,designed to refect its surroundings and best serve itslocal community. Custom House presented a numberof constraints – a very narrow site working near busyrailway lines and roads, existing utilities and overheadpower lines and a public right of way that had to bemaintained at all times – that meant traditional buildoptions were not viable. With Laing O’Rourke, Arup, Crossrail, and Allies andMorrison, we formed a strategy for the constructionof Custom House that included pre-fabricated andstandardised architectural structural components, witha ‘kit of parts’ forming the platform, columns, cofferedconcourse slab and roof.With this approach we could minimise time on site,drive down programme time and preliminary costs,reduce vehicle movements and deliveries to the siteand ensure a more consistent, higher quality build.Repetitious units, manufactured in factory conditionsto a high standard and consistent fnishes, weredelivered to site in batches to coincide with theconstruction programme. It is effcient design andconstruction at its best.“WITH THIS APPROACHWE COULD MINIMISE TIMEON SITE, DRIVE DOWNPROGRAMME TIME ANDPRELIMINARY COSTS, REDUCEVEHICLE MOVEMENTS ANDDELIVERIES TO THE SITE ANDENSURE A MORE CONSISTENT,HIGHER QUALITY BUILD” ˇ

What’s more, we modelled all of the componentsat Custom House in 3D, providing an invaluablecommunication tool to aid conversations betweenteams around buildability, site inductions, logistics,sequencing and health and safety. The 3D modelwas also linked to the project programme in Synchroto visualise and plan the complex sequence ofinstallation. This was in turn linked to Laing O’Rourke’sfactory database. By using unique QR codes – or quickresponse barcodes – on each component, we wereable to track, plan and record the status of each ofthe 887 precast components from the design stagethrough to casting, delivery and installation on site.Once on site, mobile devices scanned the QR code andbrought up the necessary quality form to complete.This provided an effcient way to carry out all qualityand health and safety checks, maximising traceabilityand simplifying the handover process. “BY USING UNIQUE QR CODESON EACH COMPONENT, WEWERE ABLE TO TRACK, PLANAND RECORD THE STATUS OFEACH OF THE † PRECASTCOMPONENTS FROM THEDESIGN STAGE” Years from now the station will welcome regional andinternational visitors to London’s largest conferencecentre, ExCeL London, and create an importanttransport interchange between the Elizabeth line, theDLR and local buses. It will also provide a focus for theregeneration of the local area, the London Borough ofNewham. While no one may remember its modular,‘kit of parts’ history, the community will be left with anenduring elegant station for years to come.All Custom House images Crossrail

DESIGNED FORCAMBRIDGEBY QUINTIN DOYLE,SENIOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER

Cambridge North Station creates a newgateway to Cambridge and its northern fringes.The development is expected to serve over 3,000passengers per day, and is seen as a key pieceof Cambridgeshire’s transport infrastructure.It will alleviate congestion in the city centreand open up access to Cambridge Science Parkand several major new developments to thenorth of Cambridge.When we started preparing concept designs forCambridgeshire County Council in 2011, we werekeen to understand exactly what this station needed tobe, both now and in the future. You could say there’salready plenty of answers to the question – what doesa new station need to be? – but the more questionswe asked of our client, about their aspirations andthe site itself, the more we found there was no stockanswer which would meet all of their criteria.“BY BRINGING OUT ELEMENTSOF ITS LOCAL HISTORY ANDSURROUNDING BUSINESSES,WE’VE CREATED A STATIONUNIQUE TO CAMBRIDGE ATRULY BESPOKE, TAILOREDDESIGN FOR BOTH CLIENTAND COMMUNITY”What this process of consultation and collaborationled to was a piece of functional rail infrastructure,benchmarked for cost against other similardevelopments, which was also a piece of architecturespecifc to Cambridge and the high-tech industries itwould be helping to serve. The new building had tohave considerable presence as it was the frst pieceof redevelopment on the Chesterton Siding site,earmarked for the emerging masterplan, which wasachieved by integrating the footbridge and lifts intoone building. This also helps to protect revenue for theincumbent operator.

The key to a successful station building is often saidto be its usability. We’ve ensured that the passengerroute through Cambridge North is clear and directwith constant views of the passenger destination.This allows the building to declutter itself of signage.Natural light is also used as part of the wayfndingstrategy, with both top light and large format windowslighting key areas of the station and providing visualreminders to passengers of their route.The building form was distilled from Cambridgestation. We retained the concept of the porte cocherebut stripped the building of the classical arcade to themain facade. This provides a very powerful form whichaddresses a new pedestrianised square. Wrappedaround the square are the other transport modes. Tothe south of the station is a 1,000 space covered cycleshelter with a saw tooth glazed roof with integratedphotovoltaic arrays which produce over 10 percent ofthe development’s electricity. To the north there’s thetaxi rank, pick-up and drop-off points, and a 450 spacecar park, and directly opposite the main facade of thestation is the bus interchange. The station is wrapped in three equal bands ofaluminium panels which have been perforatedwith a design derived from John Horton Conway’s‘Game of Life’ theories which he established while atGonville and Caius College, Cambridge in 1970. Thesebeautiful, delicate panels ensure passive security tothe ground foor glazed areas, assist with wayfndingwhile crossing the footbridge, and allow the buildingto transform its appearance between day and nightthrough sensitive backlighting.By bringing out elements of its local history andsurrounding businesses, we’ve created a stationunique to Cambridge – a truly bespoke, tailored designfor both client and community.“WE’VE ENSURED THAT THEPASSENGER ROUTE THROUGHCAMBRIDGE NORTH IS CLEARAND DIRECT WITH CONSTANTVIEWS OF THE PASSENGERDESTINATION” ˆ

AN UPGRADE TOCOLLABORATIONBY STAN DOYLE,PROJECT DIRECTOR ˇTfL station upgrade

Bond Street Station is one of the busieststations on the London Underground network.Coupled with the fact that it is also located onthe busiest retail street in Europe, it is a stationthat sees an incredible amount of traffc, fromboth Londoners and tourists, every day.The upgrade of Bond Street Station is a keyenabling project for expanding capacity on London’sunderground network. To make this station workfor now and the future, we needed to achieve a 40percent increase in capacity, step free access to boththe Jubilee and Central Lines, and an undergroundlink to the adjacent Elizabeth line station being builtby Crossrail.It was of critical importance to our client and theirstakeholders that early cost and programme certaintywere achieved, and that the station remained inoperation during construction, particularly during theLondon 2012 Olympic Games. “TO MEET ALL OF THESESTAKEHOLDERS’ NEEDS,WE PROVIDED A FULLMULTIDISCIPLINARY DESIGNTEAM COMPRISING OVER † DISCIPLINES”That we have been successfully engaged in thedevelopment and delivery of the upgrade for 10 years– from concept to construction and commissioning– is a testament to the collaborative and innovativenature of our engagement with our client, LondonUnderground, their stakeholders and suppliersand contractors to ensure everyone’s requirementswere met. To meet all of these stakeholders’ needs,we provided a full multidisciplinary design teamcomprising over 20 disciplines, predominantly fromwithin Atkins, but critically supported by key specialistsselected to enhance our ability to provide the earlycertainty and confdence in the approach required byTfL. These specialists included constructability advicefrom Balfour Beatty Management and specialist SCL(Sprayed Concrete Lining) tunnelling input from DrSauer and Partners.From our initial appointment at RIBA Stage C, our teamworked closely and collaboratively with the LondonUnderground team and a wide range of stakeholdersto understand and develop innovative solutions thatmitigated risks. These included both temporary andpermanent works design and construction, includingdetailed early assessment of how we would serve theconstrained site on Oxford Street in Central Londonwhere most of the work would take place. a;a1 of all tnal I have met:Yet ar1 expen·ence is an arch wherethro'., ·ams na ntravell'd world whose margin fadesFor ever and for ever when I move.w dlJll it ,so pause, to make an endfllo oo unbumis 'd. not to shin in usefthe were life! life piled on /ifeTfL station upgrade

“OUR TEAM WORKED CLOSELYAND COLLABORATIVELY WITHTHE LONDON UNDERGROUNDTEAM AND A WIDE RANGEOF STAKEHOLDERS TOUNDERSTAND AND DEVELOPINNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS THATMITIGATED RISKS”To achieve this we had to develop a number ofinnovative solutions, but two in particular stick in themind. First, we reviewed the proposed SpheroidalGraphite Iron (SGI) tunnelling solution in the HybridBill design and developed an alternative SprayedConcrete Lining solution for the passenger tunnels,escalator decline and lift shafts. We developed outlineconstruction methodologies and a programme todemonstrate that this could generate a reduction inthe overall construction programme together withcost beneft analysis to demonstrate and quantify themethod and time related cost savings. At the time,the use of SCL for tunnels in London was a relativelynew technology and we worked closely with LondonUnderground’s head of tunnelling to gain support forthis approach.Second, due to the highly constrained central Londonsite, the original construction strategy included atemporary steel framed building on the site of thenew ticket hall and oversight development (OSD) tohouse gantry cranes and storage bins for the removalof tunnelling arisings and the delivery of constructionmaterials. We developed an alternative design andconstruction sequence that allowed for the erectionof the basement level of the new ticket hall togetherwith the OSD building frame prior to the constructionof the two vertical circulation shafts. This approachallowed the permanent OSD concrete frame to beused in place of the temporary structure resulting in asignifcant reduction in the station construction costsand allowing the OSD to be completed 18 monthsearlier than planned.To achieve this level of joint working andcollaboration, we fully supported the initiative tocreate the frst fully co-located project team for amajor London Underground station project. Anapproach which has been promoted as an exemplarfor project collaboration.

ˆ CONCLUSIONAt Atkins we never stop learning. We arecurrently posing the following questions toour design teams and planning consultantsaround the future of stations. HOW FAR AROUND ASTATION CAN WE EXPECTTO HAVE A POSITIVEIMPACT? HOW CAN WEEXTEND THIS RADIUS?HOW WILL THE RISEOF NEW DIGITALTECHNOLOGY AND THEINTERNET OF THINGSCHANGE HOW WE USESTATIONS?WHERE CANWE INTRODUCEINNOVATIONTO IMPROVEDELIVERABILITYAND DRIVE OUTCOST AND RISK?HOW CANTHE DESIGNOF A STATIONPROMOTEWELLBEING?Keeping these kinds of questionsat the forefront of our approachmeans we are constantly challengingourselves to ensure our stationdesigns are ft for the future.WHO SHOULD LEAD?WHICH DELIVERYMODELS BEST DELIVERTHE REQUIREDOUTCOMES?To fnd out more please contact:LIAM HARRISONLiam.Harrison@atkinsglobal.com 44 1865 73 4223

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www.atkinsglobal.com

with Atkins as lead consultant throughout the key design and construction stages. This brought together team members with the necessary skills, knowledge and expertise to develop and implement complex and, on occasion, ground breaking solutions whilst ensuring the safety of