Krabbe

Background

 

This bachelor’s thesis was based on the Västlänken project, a proposed underground railway tunnel together with three commute stations in central Gothenburg. The thesis focused on the proposed commute station at Korsvägen. The given program asked for a proposed design of the underground railway platforms as well as aboveground and mezzanine. 

 

In addition to the given program, this thesis proposed the inclusion of a kindergarten. This decision was based on the notion that families with preschoolers commonly choose the car over public transport due to the convenience. With the addition of a kindergarten to a junction point however, usage of public transport is encouraged by becoming the more convenient choice.

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Concept

 

The resulting proposal is based on achieving a rewarding interplay between the station and kindergarten. The starting point was the given program, which meant that the station would consist of multiple floors. This implied that commuters would presumably desire a vertical communication so that they could easily orient themselves throughout the station. 

 

The kindergarten was therefore proposed as a positioned centerpiece that runs through every floor, consequently establishing an object that the commuters could relate their position to. By additionally enveloping the kindergarten in an opaque polycarbonate, the centralized positioning also offers the opportunity for preschoolers to fruitfully yet anonymously observe the surrounding commuters. 

 

The final aim of the proposal was to achieve clarity aboveground, as Korsvägen is surrounded by both a large number of commute platforms and major attractions, in which commuters are bound to arrive and depart from every direction. The responding proposal was therefore a descending circular entrance that ensures clarity and a warm welcoming aboveground.