COALESCENCE: Blending London with the Underground
Open Access
- Author:
- Troutman, Katelyn Elizabeth
- Area of Honors:
- Architecture
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Architecture
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Juan Antonio Ruescas, Thesis Supervisor
James Gill Cooper, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- architecture
London Underground
transit
underground stations
experiential design - Abstract:
- The Underground is London's most important mode of transportation, but while it is an essential part of everyday life in the city, there is a physical and experiential disconnect between this extensive underground network and the dense urban fabric above. The majority of stations are not distinguishable underground, save for their name, and people move so quickly through them to ground level that the stations have become an insignificant part of the experience. Further disconnected from this system are over 20 disused stations of the Underground scattered throughout the city, most of which are derelict, retaining a memory of the underground which is concealed from the public. These abandoned stations present an opportunity for expansion and reintegration into the system, making use of the existing infrastructure and renewing their urban significance. It is undeniably apparent that this disconnect exists at Euston Station. Here, the over ground and underground lines overlap, but do not intersect, and several disused tunnels remain closed off from the public. By opening the platform level up to grade and creating an omnidirectional space, a new station typology is formed, blending the London Underground with the fabric of the city while facilitating deceleration and interaction in a space that is normally intended for rapid transience.