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Intermodal Concept in Railway Station Design

S. Kandee

ABSTRACT

This article presents perspectives in transportfacilities and the design of railway stationsinfluenced by the intermodal concept. The intermodalconcept supports the integration of related trans-portation modes. This concept has been aroundfor some time and has gradually been applied toexisting transportation terminals. It is a movement toeffectively connect railways with other transportationmodes as an interchange. The tendency has recently

become evident in several railway stations, affectingtheir architecture and interior design. Accordingly,the new forms of railway stations were designed tochange the conventional image of the stations.

The architecture of the stations has gone beyondthe design of main functions, which include core,transition, peripheral, and administrative. Dependingon the needs of the station, the design of these spaceshas to also include supplementary functions; forinstance, integration of light and structure, access fordisabled people, and commercial development. It ispossible to also see them as an expression of moderntechnology reflected in their daring structure and use

of new materials.The role of stations and communities is anotherissue discussed in this paper. Its development givesa significant guideline for the design of intermodalstations. Noticeably, good relationships betweenstations and their communities encouragecommercial approaches and economic growth. Thesewill bring together transportation facilities,commercial development, and local activities thatallow the congregation of all classes of people.

INTRODUCTION

The intermodal concept defines the transport-tation facilities of the 21st century. The idea isdescribed in several ways. It could refer to theinteraction between people, services, and differentmodes of transportation. It is also clearly describedby Muller (1999) as the concept of transportingpassengers and freight on two or more differentmodes in such a way that all parts of transportationprocess, including the exchange of information, areefficiently connected and coordinated. The mix oftransportation facilities will meet the diverse needs ofthe population. As a consequence, they will form anintegral part of the urban setting.

The need for intermodal transportation centershas grown over the years, and the concept is now

considered essential to providing convenience for

passengers. Hopkinson and Parkinson (1995) definedthe intermodal transportation center as a structurecombining various technologies of transportationsuch as regional trains, light rails, bus lines withcenters accessible to airports. Moreover many transitplanners believe that such centers serve more than just transportation. They include well-designedbuildings providing various kinds of integratedservices, such as restaurants, newsstands, small

shops, and travel information systems. In parallel,the development of the intermodal concept typicallypays much attention to utilizing existinginfrastructures, for instance, old railway stations orbus terminals which are normally located in centralcities. Thus the use of a centrally located station orterminal supports the view that an intermodaltransportation center not only forms an integral partof the urban scene, but has the potential for alsobecoming a tourist center. This trend has alreadybegun in several cities in both Europe and NorthAmerica where existing railway stations have beenconverted to intermodal transportation centers.

In Asian Countris, like Thailand, this concept hasalso been applied to the odl railway structure and thenew underground system. The linkage of the systemsand the integration of station areas at the CentralStation or Hua Lum Phong and at Bangsue Junctionserve as two such examples.

As pointed out by Floyd (1993) and Tolliver(1995), an intermodal transportation center can be anew form of structure, a distinctive building, or agroup of buildings at a single location which areintended to introduce new methods and patterns inhandling a large number of people. Efficiencyrequires that the center is designed and constructed toincorporate the latest technologies and innovations.

Many centers built in the late 20th century, forexample, have very strong characteristics forcombining technology in building structures andsystems with architectural and interior design shapesand forms.

THE INTERMODAL CONCEPT AND THERAILWAY STATION

Dating back to the 1630s, railways weredeveloped in Britain (Vecchio, 1998, p.12). Soonafter, they became a major mode of public trans-portation in many places across the world andserved communities with a strong sense of techno-

logical accomplishment (Kandee, 2001). Passenger


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stations became a new building type and gateways torail lines connecting cities where technology wasexpressed through daring structure of the stations. Intheir early age, large-span train sheds, grand headhouses for entrance halls and huge interior

concourses were recognized as challenging designsolutions of the stations where architecture andengineering perfectly met. Play of materials, texture,light, and space were also another architecturalexpression that gave the buildings modern presence.

The great age of railway station design wasinitiated in late 19th and early 20th centuries.Significant influences appeared in the Beaux-Art style,which originated in France. Examples include GrandCentral Terminal in New York City, Main Street Stationin Richmond, Virginia, and Union Station in Washington,D.C. After World War II, the continuous development ofrailways slowed noticeably. Since rail passenger servicein many places started to decline due to the use of

automobiles, the growth of bus transport, and theconvenience of air travel--railways were not competitiveand many grand stations deteriorated and even closed(Kandee, 2001).

Figure 1. Main Street Station, Richmond, Virginia Oneof Beaux-Art style stations built in early 20th century.

Railway stations entered a new age again in thelate 20th century after the introduction of high-speedtrains (Binney, 1995; Powell, 1994). As evidentmostly in Europe, many new stations were built, andthe old ones were renovated to efficiently serve the

system. The revival of the stations was intended tocreate a continued language in station architecture.Borrowing from the 19th century architecture, the daringconstruction of very large spanned train sheds and theuse of new materials, such as lightweight steel andglass, become a distinctive feature of 20th centuryrailway architecture. Nicholas Grimshaws WaterlooInternational Terminal in London is one of the greatnew stations, which represents this new beginning.With a 1,300 foot-long and a 53 foot-wide shedsupported by bowstring-shaped steel trusses,it clearly expresses the challenging work of bringing

architecture and engineering together (Parissien, 1997).

Figure 2. Waterloo International Terminal, LondonThe exterior view of the train shed.Source: The Best in Leisure and Public Architec-

ture, (p.150), 1993.

Figure 3. The interior view showing bowstring-shaped steel trusses of Waterloo InternationalTerminal.Source: The Modern Station: New Approaches torailway architecture, 1997.

Once different transportation modes wereunconnected, but today the trend is towards anintegrated system. Many railway stations form aninterchange between modes of transportation that mayinclude buses, air services, metros, taxi, private cars,

and so forth. The intermodal concept is, therefore, beingapplied to railway stations to reflect a new form ofservice. In addition to serving intercity rail lines, theconcept emphasizes linkages to other transportationsystems, the expansion of service across borders, andrail networks linking cities and their suburbs. As aconsequence, new forms of station type are required.International, airport, and metro or light rail stationsrepresent different types emerging as distinctivebuilding patterns for railway stations impacted by theintermodal concept (Kandee, 2001; Edwards, 1997).


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INTERNATIONAL STATIONS

This station type emerged in the past twodecades after the introduction of high-speed trainsconnecting countries in Western Europe (Binney,1995). The services of rail lines crossing countries

borders demanded particular facilities that differfrom those of other stations. Many facilities havebeen borrowed from airports and adaptively appliedto existing rail services. They include passportcontrol, security checkpoints, and the different levelsof departure and arrival pattern.

The Waterloo International Terminal in Londonis an excellent example of this type of station. Itutilizes many of the characteristics and functions ofairports and provides different levels for departingand arriving passengers. The extraordinary structureof a 1,300 foot-long shed added to the old structureand supported by steel trusses also strongly expressesthe language of airport architecture. Train tracks areon the third level. The floors below the train shed aredesigned to handle 15 million passengers annuallywith terminal services providing easy access to andfrom the concourse located on the ground level(Binney, 1995).

Figure 4. Waterloo International Terminal, LondonCross section showing different levels of departure andarrival.Source: Railway Stations: Planning, design andmanagement, (p.252), 2000.

Figure 5. Waterloo International Terminal, LondonDissected Perspective showing platform level on thethird floor and its roof.Source: Railway Stations: Planning, design andmanagement, (p.254), 2000.

AIRPORT STATIONS

Linking airports to inner cities via rail lines isone convenient way for passengers to access airports.This connection requires that railway facilities arelocated at the airport. Therefore, such railway

stations are constructed as additional parts of airportbuildings and some facilities with selected designelements adapted from the airport terminals to thesestations. Obviously, the space provided must besufficient to meet the needs of air-travel passengerswho need extra facilities for baggage and grouptours. Signs in a variety of languages are alsoprovided when international travelers use the trains toairport connections.

Copenhagen Airport Station located in Kastrup,Denmark is a good example of this station type. Thetriangular structure of Terminal 3 is added to theairports main terminal, and the station is placed at thepoint of the triangle to serve around 15% of passengersusing the airport (Living Architecture 17, 2000).

Figure 6. The exterior view of the terminal 3 and thetrain station, Copenhagen Airport, Denmark.Source: Living Architecture 17, (2000), 156.

METRO OR LIGHT RAIL STATIONS

Generally, light rail refers to a transit system,which combines the vehicle technology of trams andbuses with the characteristics of steel railengineering. It is well adapted to cities and suburbanneeds, and also has the advantages of flexibility and

less expensive installation and maintenance than aregional rail system (Edwards, 1997, p.52). A goodexample is the Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS).It is a street-based high-level light rail system thatplaces most stations on a double cantilever supportedby a line of single columns.


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Figure 7. Cross section of a BTS station.

These attributes also make such stations verysuitable for linking rail services to airport. Often, a

metro station and an airport station may servesimultaneously as the starting and destination pointsfor the same rail service. This necessitates the sharingof certain facilities. For example, baggage check-inand security may be provided at the metro stationrather than at the airport station. The Chek Lap KokTerminal, Hong Kong is a station that provides thosefacilities supporting air travel. It gives direct accessto the airport terminal building for passengersarriving at or departing the airport by rail.

ASPECTS OF STATION DESIGN

The design of todays stations tends to be different

in expression from their early age. Presently, they areoften designed in such a manner as to take advantage ofexisting structures that affect the spatial planning.Attention is greatly paid to problem-solving of theirinterior spaces. There are four main functional areastypically housed in most stations; core, transition,peripheral, and administrative areas (Kandee, 2001, p 14).

Core areas focus on processing passengers.Conceptually, they can be considered as a circlesurrounded by closely related areas that includesticketing, information, baggage handling,reclaiming, and waiting.

Transit areasconnect transit facilities in thecore areas to the transportation modes. Theyusually include secondary, but often-essentialfacilities such as, restrooms, telephones, andcommercial spaces.

Peripheral areas support circulation outsidethe main buildings. They often includeplatforms, tracks, and vehicle service spaces.

Administrative area control both traffic andstation management. Found only in some stationtypes that provide complex arrangements forhandling a large number of passengers. These

areas can be isolated from other facilities orinserted among them.

Figure 8. Flow diagram of functional elementswithin railway stations.

TICKETING &

BAGGAGE HANDLING

T R A V E L

INFORMATION

MAIN ENTRANCE

P L A T F O R M S

TRAIN TRACKS

PHONES

RETAIL

SHOPS

RESTROOMS


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Table 1 Functional Standards of Four Main Areas in Railway Stations

Activities Area requirements Users Comments

CoreArea

Departing

- Checking train

schedule.- Ticketing.- Baggage handling- Fare collection.- Gate check-in.- Waiting.Arriving

- Meeting &greeting.

- Reclaimingbaggage

Main Hall

- Information.- Ticket office.- Ticket machine.- Ticket counters

with baggagecheck -in.

Departure hall

- Automated farecollectors or staff.

- SeatingArriving Hall

- Meeting point orseating.

- Baggage reclaim.

- Passengers &guests.

- Staff.

- Passengers- Greeters.- Staff.

- ticket sales in several formsdepending on type and sizeof stations.

- All functions may take placein one open space, i.e., mainlobby, ticket hall, etc. orseparate areas, but connecting.

- An arrival hall is normally thesame area as a departure hall.

TransitionArea

Departing, Arriving,Working & Visiting

- Using publicfacilities.

- Walking tovehiclees orwaiting aroundbefore boarding

- Shopping oreating.

Connecting Area orMain Circulation

- Public servicefacilities, i.e.,restroom, public &lockers.

- Amenities, i.e.,shops, restaurantsand snack bars.

- All users:passengers andtheir guest, staff,and visitors.

- Public facilities are neces-sary for any type of station.

- The variety of amenitiesdepends on the type, size,and concept of stations.

PeripheralArea

Departing, Arriving,Working

- Boarding.- Loading and un-

loading.- Maintenance.

- Platforms.- Tracks.- Workshops or

vehicle serviceareas.

- Traffic signal.

- Passengers.- Staff. - Numbers of platforms andtrain tracks derive from

numbers of passengers aterminal can handle.

- Maintenance services areprovided only at largeterminals.

Administrative

Area

Working & control-ling Traffic System

- Working.- Controlling trafficsystems andfunctions in thestations.

- Managementoffice.- Traffic

controllingoffice.

- Staff.- Visitors. - Locations ofadministrative office maybe isolated from others orinserted among facilities inevery area, but they haveto be able to control allsystems.

Source: Prototype Intermodal Transportation Center, (p.15), 2001.


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The four areas described above represent themajor physical and functional elements considerednecessary in establishing an intermodal station and,consequently, must be included in its design. Theinterrelationships between the four functional areas

collectively constitute an intermodal station.To achieve good functional flows among thefour areas, and smooth connections in and out of thestations, their physical relationship needs to be linkedtogether. Additionally, the space capacity mustefficiently handle the increasing number ofpassengers. Clear routes to other transport modes andto pedestrian ways should be well designed and safeto use. The width of routes should reflect thefunctions within the building and the scale ofmovement. Other significant features inside thestation building need also to reflect functionalhierarchies. Passengers should be able to find theirway from entrance to ticket hall, to platform, and to

train without obstruction. As a result, the maincirculation space often has to be expandedphysically. In many cases, the different roles of theexpanded circulation area are usually defined interms such as connected concourse, main concourse,main hall and entrance hall.

As Edwards (1997) points out, the singletransportation function of the traditional station hasgiven way to multi-functionalism, which in turn hasled to complex and diverse station forms. Thevoluminous concourse space occurs to serve thosecomplex activities. Space inside may be disorienting.The clutter of shops, stalls, information displays,

ticket booths, and so forth, could increase confusion.Thus, the internal circulation reinforcing the func-tionnal priorities needs to be used in conjunctionwith narrower routes to help distinguish major andminor spaces.

Figure 9. The interrelationships between the fourfunctional areas constituting an intermodal station.

As stated earlier, the complexity of functionsresults in the consumption of spaces and theorganization of activities. The center will not serve auseful purpose if the design accommodates onlyexisting elements without taking into account what is

new. The design aspect has to serve more than mainfunctions of traditional stations which provide onlynormal sequences--ticket halls, waiting areas,platforms, and trains. Many supported functions,therefore, have been combined with the basic ones inorder to adequately meet the diverse needs of thepublic while in transit. These give supplementaryaspects discussed as follows:

INTEGRATION OF LIGHT AND STRUCTURE

The structural expression of the station helpsachieve the internal circulation by allowing morenatural light through the building to aid navigation.Obviously, many modern stations have similarfeaturesframing, columns and trusses. This hasmeaning in architecture not only for aesthetic, but forpractical reasons as well. The manipulation of naturallight through transparent roofs and walls, blendingwith artificial light, could provide passengers theclarity of orientation in the building more effectivelythan internal signs only. The lines of columns are alsoimportant to guide the passengers to their preferredroutes. These might be noticeably seen in complexstations containing commercial areas whereas lightand structure are used to guide patrons from public toprivate interests; for example ticket hall to shops orcafes.

Figure 10. Skylight and lines of columns at Terminal3, Copenhagen Airport Station, Denmark, help orientpassengers to the railway station.Source: Living Architecture 17, (2000), 146.

M A I N

CONCOURSE

TRANSITION

A R E A

PERIPHERAL

A R E A

CORE

AREA

ADMINISTRATIVE

A R E A


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Figure 11. Mix of natural and artificial light atplatform level of Copenhagen Airport Station,Denmark.Source;Living Architecture 17, (2000), 168.ACCESS FOR DISABLED PEOPLE

The design of the station ought to meet barrier-free requirements throughout the facilities. Acces-sibility is an issue that concerns everyone. Ross(2000) envisions that disabled people using railwaystations are not only people in wheelchairs, but theyinclude blind and partially sighted people, deafpeople and those with poor hearing, people withlearning disabilities, people with heavy luggage,people with young children, and elderly people.

Impediments to access should not be considered onlyphysically, but also psychologically. In addition tosolving the problems of steps, curbs, stairs, longwalkway, steep ramps, and narrow doorways, somepsychological impediments needs to be identified andrelieved at the design stage. Examples include fearof crowded conditions, perceived unhelpfulness ofstaff, unreliable provision of toilets, etc. Thosedemand attention from both railway operators anddesigners.

ADVERTISING AND PUBLIC ARTS

Advertising and public arts can be used to

brighten up the stations. Besides the architecture ofthe stations that gives exterior appearances and actsas local landmarks, artwork and graphic design insidecould help identify the stations and give them images.They may serve the interiors as either backgrounds orfocal points. An outstanding sculpture or painting atthe booking hall or the station concourse may act as agood meeting point. The repetition of advertisingposters along a distant walkway may entertain thepassengers while walking to their trains.

Figure 12. Sculpture of women by HanneVarming at Terminal 3, Copenhagen Airport

Station, Denmark.Source: Living Architecture 17, (2000), 140.

TRAVLE INFORMATION

Travel information systems are essential for anystation. Up to date and accurate information is alwaysrequired. It could be displayed in various forms, forexample posters, fixed signage, TV monitors, dotmatrix, and LCD. The use of them, however, needsappropriate balance that depends on types andnumbers of passengers at each station (Ross, 2000).In station complexes, information should be providedin appropriate forms, and it needs to give decision

points which allow efficient space for passengers tofind their ways around the building. Certainly, thedisplays must be visible in all conditions.

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Adopting the intermodal concept makes thestation more complex. More functions are integrated,and numbers of passengers are increased. Thestations appear to be more than people-processors,but can expedite peoples lifestyles. Similar to thedesign of airport terminals, the trend of the stationdesign is to take full advantage of the timepassengers wait around by providing facilities and

entertainment. It is evident that many grand stationsin the United States, Great Britain, and Japan beginto look like shopping districts that become touristattractions. Many urban functions are brought insidethe stations. It gives the opportunity to bringtogether restaurants, retail outlets, cafes, offices,currency exchanges, banks, post offices, car rentalcompanies, movie theaters, and so on. The historicUnion Station in Washington, D.C. is a goodexample of this concept. The 600,000 square footspace has been adaptively redesigned and renovatedto become a major retail, entertainment, andtransportation center (Kandee, 2001).


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Figure 13. Union Station, Washington, D.C.The interior view of the main hall that is redesignedto become a shopping center.Source: The Modern Station: New Approach to railway architecture, (p.6), 1997.

Developing countries like Thailand are alsofollowing this trend. The new subway system givinglinkage with the main rail lines will develop the centralstation, Hua Lamphong Station, as the main businessarea for commercial purposes. This area will also becomea transportation center and an interchange for those wholive inside and outside the city center.

CONCLUSION

Applying the intermodal concept in rail servicesheralds a number of developments, one of which is the

role of railway stations. The increasing numbers ofpassengers has resulted in the need for modern andrational designs of stations. The functions of stationdesign are broadened. The form of the building becomesmore complex. As a result, conventional stations aregradually replaced by station complexes, which do notserve travel alone. They are not just places wheretrains stop to collect and deposit passengers, but theybecome a gateway to and from communities.

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Ross, J. (2000). Railway Stations: Planning, design andmanagement. Oxford: Architectural Press.TrainStation Design: Energizes Communities, KajimaNews & Notes Vol. 25. Retrieved July 2, 2003,from http://inet01.kajima. co.jp

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Somruedee Kandee received her M.F.A. (InteriorEnvironments) from Virginia Commonwealth Uni-versity, USA and B.Arch. (Interior Architecture,Honors) from King Mongkuts Institute of Techno-logy, Ladkrabang. She is currently an instructor inthe Department of Interior Design, School of Fineand Applied Arts, Bangkok University.

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