Perspective View from Conductor's Compartment: The spider column expands the space of the platform and creates a public threshold for passengers of light rail, public buses, and private automobiles to participate in the Open Transfer experience.
Canopy Roof Plan: The canopy introduces a dynamic graphic and shape from above, visible to occupants of the surrounding buildings. Platform Plan: All structural supports for the canopy except one (the “plate” column) are cleared from the platform and relocated curbside along with ticket vending machines, validators, and selected signage and marketing displays.
Open View: Two of the spider column legs converge above the canopy where they connect to support the long-span truss from above. The effect is an open view, expanding the space of the platform to encompass the street and sidewalk.
The top side exterior cladding of the Open Transfer canopy utilizes decomissioned road signs for a poly-chromatic panelized rain screen.
Characterized by the spider columnsupport at the southern end of the platform canopy, the threshold allowsegress from the platform below to occur unobstructed. It also marks theouter edge of the expanded platform interior.
Slim Fit: The long, double-loaded platform at Central Station - Main serves two-way rail traffic with cross-walks at either end for pedestrian traffic. Within the given site parameters, the narrow platform is densely packed with a variety of elements to facilitate ridership (validators, signage, seating, ticket vending, structure).
To the Point: Open Transfer proposes that the south end of the platform open and expand to engage the space of the street. This revised circulation path relocates the transverse crosswalks at each end of the platform to thecenter of the block, directing movement across the street from a single point.
All structural supports for the canopy except one - the "plate" column - arecleared from the platform and relocated curbside along with ticket vending machines, most validators, and selected signage, maps and ads. This provides greater visibility inside the platform and clears and expands the horizontal space of the platform to encompass the street and sidewalk.
Interloop—Architecture was one of five nationally recognized architecture firms invited to submit a design proposal for a new landmark in Downtown Houston: Central Station – Main. Houston’s light rail infrastructure currently consists of just one line, but construction has begun on two additional transit lines that serve diverse neighborhoods in the city. These lines will all intersect at the new Central Station transfer zone in downtown Houston. This transfer zone literally occupies the right of way, allowing riders use the city sidewalks to change trains and make connections between the three light rail lines and city buses. Central Station is made up of three light rail platforms: one at Main Street – the focus of this competition proposal – and two more at Rusk and Capitol Streets. These platforms and the common spaces between them combine to form Open Transfer.
