SAS discusses transport sector construction in PSB

Andrew Jackson, marketing director at SAS International, talks through some crucial factors involved in the design and construction of passenger-focused transport facilities.

With plans for major investment in train stations across the country over the next five years, refurbishment solutions in the transport sector will take centre stage.

Many stations have stood the test of time, given their comparative age, and any modernisation solutions will need to provide for similar longevity.

Robin Gisby, operations and customer service director, Network Rail, has been quoted as saying that 'stations are the railways' shopfront and they have been ignored for far too long'.

It should, therefore, come as a welcome sign that London Mayor, Boris Johnson, has also recently published a Transport Strategy setting out his vision for transport in London over the next 20 years.

This includes a comprehensive upgrade of the Tube network and expansion in the capacity of suburban rail services.

The Vision states: "London's transport system should excel among those of world cities, providing access to opportunities for all its people and enterprises, achieving the highest environmental standards and leading the world in its approach to tackling urban transport challenges of the 21st Century".

Plans for new builds can set the tone of how these important facilities could look for future generations, from Hong Kong's new airport, Chek Lap Kok, to Heathrow's Terminal 5, the Jubilee Line extension in London and preparations for the 2012 Olympics, but refurbishment of the existing fabric can be harder than an ambitious new build.

In either case, the objective is for elegant but efficient design solutions.

A case in point is the now famous landmark transformation of the Grade I listed St Pancras International into London's new Eurostar terminus.

The building's interior has been fitted out so that old meets new, creating a stunning combination of materials such as aluminium, brushed stainless steel, travelators with full height glazing, cast-iron columns and wrought iron girders.

Although the St Pancras project was successful, working with and adapting existing infrastructure and building fabric is always a challenge.

Each project is therefore unique with its own set of criteria to overcome.

For these projects to be realised, a myriad of considerations and a unique approach needs to be taken to ensure success and longevity for future generations.

Major considerations will be the challenges of strict timelines and programme of works.

Site surveys, designs proposed and fabrication can sometimes start almost simultaneously, with work being completed outside operating times to cause as little or no disruption to members of the public.

Of recent note, at both Waterloo station concourse and the London Underground, demands for an adaptable and bespoke approach were tantamount.

The programme for completion at Waterloo Station was extremely challenging and with limited as-built information, the architects had to investigate the existing fabric, propose a solution and start fabrication while minimising disruption.

Inevitably, with such large scale projects, often things you're not expecting will be uncovered, impacting on design and schedules.

For example, while work was underway on the new ticket barriers at Waterloo, it became apparent that the ceiling areas above them needed to be replaced, which had not been originally planned for.

The refurbishment of the Peak Hour Subway at Waterloo created a modern, open space designed for increased capacity over the coming decade.

The subway, which is accessed from the platforms, was originally designed to alleviate overcrowding atthe main underground entrances at Waterloo Station.

Nicholas Whiting, associate director, bpr architects, comments: "The civil engineering involved in opening up these arches was a huge challenge for the project".

"The lower subways of Waterloo are constructed from Victorian brick arches some 3.5m thick".

"Once the new openings were instated, we needed a bespoke cladding system that could be installed quickly and easily within tight time and budgetary constraints.

Also, how do you deal with health and safety issues on such a scale? With Waterloo station the structural engineers, Pell Frischman, had a real challenge to design the column cladding to be able to absorb an impact of a three tonne vehicle without tying any reinforcement to the existing column.

The solution was to design a steel cage that consisted of 10mm inner and outer structural uprights welded to a floor plate that, in turn, was bolted to the floor slab.

Vaulted metal ceiling solutions and stainless steel wall cladding, with impact resistance, met the needs to create a sleek modern environment while also providing the potential to absorb the impact of a three tonne vehicle.

In addition, ceilings have been designed to be fixed from behind for security reasons, with lock systems in place on certain panels to allow easy access.

Ease of access for maintenance and cleaning are crucial for longevity, security and safety of passengers.

Durable and robust surfaces are essential too.

At Waterloo, ceilings and panels are finished in anti-graffiti paint - an innovative surface finish that works hard to meet stringent standards.

Public concourse areas are also semi-external spaces in which components are exposed to an accumulation of dust or high levels of humidity.

SAS International's Tubeline system, consisting of aluminium tubes with a powder coated finish, was chosen rather than conventional ceiling tiles.

Its ability not to show dust was important, but the tubes were also fitted within a steel frame so they could be de-mounted individually.

Aluminium trays separate tubular panels with integrated luminaires and speakers.

The ceiling's perforated nature allows for sign and CCTV coves and poles to protrude between the tubes.

The open space at the St Pancras terminal is subject to external temperature changes, so the ceiling panels are manufactured from aluminium to provide long term durability.

The Undercroft represented a key challenge when designing the ceiling solution as height space was restricted.

This once dark space is now open and bright, with daylight being channelled into the departure and arrival lounges by nine glass-sided slots containing travelators leading up to the platform.

Refurbishments in the transport sector also need to cater for increased capacity over the coming decade and, there are different demands from the public these days - public spaces and facilities are scrutinised.

People expect to see new things at a destination alongside their favourite shops and food outlets as often, they are going to places as destinations in their own right, not just to get a flight.

Communication is the bedrock of the success of major projects such as these that will shape the look of the transport infrastructure for years to come, while balancing function and aesthetics will remain one of the most demanding specification elements when considering transport refurbishments and life cycle costs.

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