GP Final Report Greg Freer

8/3/2019 GP Final Report Greg Freer

1/109

dist-URBANHIGH SPEED RAIL DESIGN IN EDMONTON AB


2/109

dist - URBAN : Edmonton High Speed Rail Station

by

GREG DOUGLAS FREER

B.Arts, The University of Alberta, 2005

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE

in

THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES

School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture

Architecture Program

COMMITTEE

CHAIR / ARCH 548 Supervisor : Jerzy Wojtowicz, B.Arch., M.Arch., Dr.Des., MAIBC

David Harding, B.Arch., MAIBC

Martin Nielsen, M.Arch., P.Eng., MAIBCAnna-Lisa Meyboom, B.A.Sc., M.Arch., P.Eng, MRAIC

We accept this report as conforming to the required standard

..........................................................George Wagner

..........................................................Anna Lisa Meyboom

THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIAJan 2011

Greg D. Freer


3/109

ABSTRACTThe worlds cities are rapidly increasing in population density,and that density needs to be served by more housing, industryand infrastructure. As less space is available for expansion,we need to look at less conventional sites for opportunities.Institutional, historical and environmental sites are all places

that are considered to resist change. They are preserved,protected and hold a deep sense of place. It is for this reasonthat most people are prevented from using them as potentialbuilding sites.

High speed rail (HSR) travel is becoming arguably one ofthe most proven forms of mass transportation the world hasseen. The networks they create have helped nations improveby shrinking the world around them, and their success can beseen in examples across Europe and Asia. Now North Americais jumping on the band wagon and even Canada is planning

for potential lines in Quebec, Ontario and Alberta. This begsthe question as to how we will design our stations in such awidespread country that has not relied on rail travel as a primaryform of transportation since the early 1900s.

This project is an architectural investigation of how an invasivebuilding can engage an area that resists change. It willspecically target the urban context of downtown Edmontonand its involvement with the Edmonton-Calgary HSR proposal.The site proper is situated between the Alberta LegislatureGrounds, the Edmonton High Level Bridge and the River Valley

Parkland.

The project design aims to integrate the elements that makethe site important into an architectural solution while beingsensitive to the concerns of preservationists, environmentalistsand the public.


4/109

CONTENTSi Title Pageii Abstractiii Contentsiv Acknowledgmentv List of Illustrations

PART I RESEARCH

1 Station Analysis: Finding the Baseline

2 Railway Architecture: What are Railway Stations?3 Stations as Malls4 Stations as Bridges5 Urban Gateway and Landmark6 Urban Intrusive7 Catalysts for Architecture8 Anticipating the Growth9 Non-place: Existence in Infrastructure10 Resilient Cities

11 Precedent Evaluation13 Liege Guillemins Station, Santiago Calatrava15 Lehrter Station, Von Gerkhan, Marg + Partners17 Bijlmermeer Station, Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners19 Kyoto Station, Hiroshi Hara21 International Terminal Waterloo Station, Nicholas Grimshaw23 Oriente Station, Santiago Calatrava25 Precedent Comparison

27 Geographical Context: Alberta28 Queen Elizabeth Highway II

29 Uniting Two Cities: Alberta HSR

31 Context in Time: Edmonton Origins33 Edmonton and Rail

35 Edmonton in Context: Present Day Edmonton36 Edmontons Values37 Edmontons Climate

iii

39 Urban Sprawl41 Existing Public Infrastructure

43 Dening Urban Elements: Edmonton River Valley45 Edmonton High Level Bridge49 Alberta Legislature Grounds

PART II : BUILDING DESIGN

51 Site Analysis: HSR Station in Downtown Edmonton53 Using Existing infrastructure54 Opportunity for development55 Existing Trafc Patterns

57 Reusing the bridge: Upgrades and Preservation

59 Building Form: Using the sites natural topography61 Lowering 109 St.63 Restructured Trafc65 Uniting the Existing Urban Elements

67 Roof Cross Section69 Over the Edge71 Form Creation Diagram

73 Structural Systems

75 Program: Layering77 Lower Level79 Main Concourse81 Intermodal Connection83 Platform85 Waiting Area

88 Conclusion

89 Drawings

97 Bibliographies: Image Bibliography99 Bibliography100 Reports / Statistics101 Websites


5/109

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would rst and foremost like to acknowledge my mentor Jerzy Wojtowicz, and my committee members for taking time out oftheir busy schedules to assist me in this project. You were all available for me whenever I needed your help, and for that I am

truly grateful.

I would also like to thank Ralph Garret of the Alberta High Speed Rail Inc. You took much time out of your busy schedule to assistme on this project, and your knowledge and expertise was of great service to me. Thank you for your help.

I would like to thank my Family for their support and understanding through these past 10 years. Without you, I would not havebeen able to accomplish this, and for that I am eternally grateful. Thank You Mom (Judy Freer), Dad (James Freer), Patrick andKelly.

I would also like to thank my girlfriend Meghan Linsdell for her help and baking during this past year.

And nally, I would like to give a special thanks to Arash Atash, Jonathan Grifths, Doug Gibbons, and Jenny Chan for helpingme nish my project in its dire hours. You guys are all life savers, and I am in your debt.

i


6/109

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS1 Liege-Guillemins Station, Belgium, Santiago Calatrava2 Kyoto Station, Japan, Hiroshi Hara3 Oriente Station, Portugal, Santiago Calatrava4 Transbay Terminal, USA, Perkins and Will SMWM5 Fresno Station, USA,6 Non-place Diagram7 Liege Station Site Diagram8 Liege Station Plan

9 Liege Station Section10 Liege Station Elevation11 Liege Station Interior12 Liege Station Platform13 Lehrter Station Site Diagram14 Lehrter Station at Night15 Lehrter Station Platform16 Lehrter Station Aerial artwork17 Bijlmermeer Station Site Diagram18 Bijlmermeer Station Site Plan19 Bijlmermeer Station Section20 Bijlmermeer Station Interior21 Bijlmermeer Station Aerial View22 Kyoto Station Site Diagram23 Kyoto Station Plan24 Kyoto Station Interior

25 Kyoto Station Section26 Kyoto Station Exterior27 Waterloo Station Site Diagram28 Waterloo Station platform29 Waterloo Station Perspective drawing30 Waterloo Station Exterior31 Oriente Station Site Diagram32 Oriente Station Plan33 Oriente Station Section34 Oriente Station Exterior35 Oriente Station Entrance36 Precedent Comparison Chart37 Alberta Corridor38 Alberta Collage39 Auto Trafc Growth for Edmonton-Calgary40 Queen Elizabeth Highway II

41 Preliminary HSR Route from Alberta HSR Inc.42 Siemens Velaro and Alberta HSR Logo43 Parade Celebrating anniversary of the Hudson ya Company 192044 Edmonton 191045 Edmonton 1969 - 200946 Aerial View of Edmonton 193547 Edmonton Population Timeline48 City of Edmonton

49 City of Edmonton Strategic Plan Cover50 Edmonton in Winter51 Year Round Temperature for Edmonton 201052 Edmonton Ground Temperature53 Edmonton wind speed/direction54 Edmonton Surface Parking Lots55 Vehicles effect on Jasper Avenue Development56 Figure ground illustration 1967 - 2008

57 Approved LRT routes58 LRT Long Term Potential59 Future LRT plans60 Edmonton River Valley61 Edmonton River Valley62 Edmonton River Valley Land Stability63 Two Towns 188364 High Level Bridge 193065 High Level Bridge Drawings66 Peter Lewis Waterfall67 Edmonton High Level Bridge68 High Level Progression through time69 Alberta Legislature Grounds70 Alberta Legislature Building 191471 Alberta Legislature Grounds Map72 Alberta Legislature Building 2008

73 Edmonton Site Diagram74 Edmonton City District Diagram75 Edmonton Underground Networks76 Site Development Opportunity77 109 St Division78 Intersection Panoramic79 Existing trafc patterns80 Bridge Upgrades81 Bridge Progression82 Lifting the land83 River Valley Layers84 East Elevation85 Lowering 109 St.86 97 Ave. Section87 New Trafc Patterns88 Uniting Urban Elements

89 Concept Art90 Site Plan with Paths91 Responding to the wind92 Snow Drift93 Opening to the Legislature94 Light Diagram95 Over the Edge96 Snow Drift

v


7/109

97 Overhang Render98 Approach Render99 Overhang100 Form Diagram101 Aerial Render102 Structure Diagram103 97 Ave. Section104 Program

105 Lower Level Program106 Drop off Zone107 Main Concourse Program108 Main Concourse Render109 Intermodal Connection Drawing110 Intermodal Connection Render111 Platform Program112 Platform Render113 Waiting Area Program114 Waiting Area Tip115 Site Model116 Site Model Render117 Site Model Render at Dusk118 Lower Level Floor Plan119 Level 1 Floor Plan120 Level 2 Floor Plan

121 Level 3 Floor Plan122 Roof Plan123 East Elevation124 East - West Section125 North South Section126 West - East Section

v


8/109

STATION ANALYSISFINDING THE BASELINE

In order to investigate how to design a HSR station, a criticalanalysis of what stations are, and who use them is needed.What are their shortcomings, benets and impacts to a city?This information is necessary in order to nd a baseline to

improve upon. In addition to this analysis, precedents need tobe investigated to see how planners in the past have addressedthe issues posed by station implementation. How do currentstations differ from one another, and what factors inuencedtheir end result?

1


9/109

RAILWAY ARCHITECTUREWHAT ARE RAILWAY STATIONS?

Railway stations of today are no longer limited to being atransient space oriented around travel. It is a place in its ownright, with retail, social and cultural facilities enclosed withinits shell.1 The train station has become its own urban venue,

one that you actually not need to travel in order to visit. Trainstations are increasingly becoming a cross between malls,bridges, squares, gateways, leisure facilities, ofce space andtraditional stations. As more functions are being introducedto stations, their form becomes more complex, and the stationitself becomes more like a tiny city then a building.

Like airports, the adjacent programs tend to produce morerevenue then the actual railway activities themselves. Railstations primarily only differ from airports by the fact that airportskeep the planes adjacent to its facilities and railway stations

have trains intersect them. This dynamic should not be seenas a downfall, but as an opportunity to create a more enrichedspatial experience.

This enriched experience created by the spectacle of travel andthe variety of programs being included in the modern train station,are increasingly becoming places to watch people and be seen.The spectacle of travel, expressed both in the mechanicalforms of trains and in the human drama of rushing people, is anentertainment to many1. Recognizing this dynamic of stationlife helps put into perspective that designing a station is merely

one aspect of a bigger picture; that of a tiny city that needs toaddress the needs of a variety of users. It is this reason that youmust look at all the types of roles a station can play rst, beforeunderstanding what a station is.

1 Edwards, Brian. The Modern Station: New Approaches to Railway Architecture. London: E & FN Spon,1997. Print.

1 Liege-Guillemins Station, Belgium


10/109

STATIONS AS MALLS

There is no denying that stations today typically include retailand leisure activities. This trend of creating stations as a blendof traditional station design and shopping mall is merely aresponse of people trying to exploit the time that passengerswait around for their trains. There positioning within a stationis carefully selected to monopolize off of passengers arriving

and leaving the station. Because of the convenience of theretail units location, they are able to raise their prices knowingpeople have little choice but to use them lest they miss theirtrain. This bustling activity of commerce becomes a powerfulsource of wealth and employment creation, describing thestation more as a tiny city.

In some cases though, this creation of a mall can be given moreattention then the actual train station itself as a whole. Thereneeds to be a balance between business space and what somepeople refer to as dwell time. Dwell time is what station

managers call the deliberate exploitation of the natural desireto stand, wait and gaze upon the spectacle of movement.1.

Recognizing there is a need for dwell time is important toprevent a station from becoming too congested. The balanceof dwell time to retail space could be compared to an art gallerywith its souvenir shops, where the shops are treated as if theyare piece of art themselves.

Regardless of the balance, the presence of retail within a stationbegins to evolve the station from being only transport oriented

to a place where people can go without having to travel. Thestation creates another reason for its existence economically,socially and culturally.

1 Edwards, Brian. The Modern Station: New Approaches to Railway Architecture. London: E & FNSpon, 1997. Print.

2Kyoto Station, Japan3


11/109

STATIONS AS BRIDGES

Typically railway lines have divided cities. The presence of arailway line can separate original urban programs, leaving themself sufcient, no longer able to monopolize off of their neighbors.This is why railway stations tend to act as bridges. They serveas a bridge between the existing surrounding programs affectedby the railway line, becoming a signicant urban link of a city.

The station itself is the solution to the problem the railway linecreates.

This puts the station into the role of stitching together a citydivided, creating new roles of programmatic elements within astation. The roof of a station can, for instance, be seen as asquare - A public deck that people can use to cross a physicallydivided city... Hence the bridge becomes a civic element ratherthan merely part of the railway station.1

The cognitive decision to create space within a station to serve

the purpose of connecting people to the rest of the city endsup giving the station a larger role then being a waiting area fortravelling passengers. It creates a space that needs to act aspublic domain, making it just as an important element as allthe other functions of the station. It is also in this area thatthe speed of the station is different from other areas, and in sorecognizing this, the space must accommodate individuals ofdifferent agendas while synthesizing it within those who are justpassing by.


3 Oriente Station, Lisbon, Portugal


12/109

URBAN GATEWAY AND LANDMARK

The advantage of railway travel is that it can be a direct linkfrom city centre to city centre effectively making the station apart of the fabric of cities, not appendages at the edge. It isin the city centre that facilities that dene a city are located,and not in the suburban edge. This notion changes the role ofthe station into an urban gateway for large amounts of people

arriving and departing from the city. The station has a task ofhumanizing trans-port - Of giving journeys a dignied beginningand end1.

The station is both a city square and part of what should bea smooth transition from public street to a seat on the train. 1

Stations typically are one of the few programs that have apublicly enclosed space, a place where people can gather,something that could be considered a trait of civilized life.

It is at the station where people move from one mode of

transportation to another, and it is at these moments thatneed to be expressed structurally acting as a right of passage.Railway stations tend to be iconic buildings because theymark the identity of a city, and it becomes your rst and lastimpression of your visit. To publicly identify the station is toshowcase it to the public, representing itself as monument toforward thinking.

The plan for the new Transbay Terminal in San Francisco,California is a station that intends to be an urban gatewayfor the city. The lead planning team has stated that the new

building should be designed to encourage and accommodatenew transit ridership while also being a memorable publicstructure - a celebratory building that is an appropriate gatewayto and from San Francisco.2

1 Edwards, Brian. The Modern Station: New Approaches to Railway Architecture. London: E & FNSpon, 1997. Print.2Thorne, Martha. Modern Trains and Splendid Stations: Architecture, Design, and Rail Travel for theTwenty-rst Century. London: Merrell, 2001. Print.

4Transbay Terminal, San Francisco, USA5


13/109

URBAN INTRUSIVE

The introduction of a station into a city affects it on a macro andmicro scale. On the macro scale, the stations are usually bold,heavily engineered geometries, which are superimposed ontothe urban fabric with much drama and contrast in scale and therail line itself generally alters the citys pattern of movement.At the micro-level the character of neighborhoods, shopping

patterns, and social life are all greatly altered.

The introduction of rail into a city presents itself as a doubleedged sword. On the one hand you receive many benets ofbringing a station into the city, on the other hand you get manyof the barriers that come along with it as well. They bringeconomic benet but at the cost of environmental intrusion andcommunity disturbance. The task today is to reconcile the scaleof engineering and visual impact of modern railway infrastructure(stations and track) with the civilizing human qualities that citieshave traditionally represented.1

With urban stations being so large, you cannot hide them, butthis is not necessarily something you cannot monopolize offof. Instead, you can celebrate them publicly and turn them intolandmarks.

Stations need to be treated as quasi public buildings, linkinginternal volume to external space with a sense of procession,dignity and scale. This means the management of surroundingpublic space is an important consideration. How the stationblends into the surrounding existing program is just as important

as how the surrounding environment blends into the station.



14/109

CATALYSTS FOR ARCHITECTURE

Every so often a major event occurs that can trigger a massivechange within a city. This event can be considered as somethingthat happens of some importance; one of a signicant change.These events can come in a variety of forms: hosting a WorldExpo, the Olympics, or the creation of a major transportationhub. They are events that involve a massive inux of people

into a region, which creates a catalyst for change in a city.

The inclusion of a major transportation hub onto a city can beconsidered an event as well, considering the extreme effectsthey can have on a citys population, density and growth. Thedifference between this type of event and say an EXPO wouldbe that infrastructure is more permanent.

The transportation hub experiences both pre-event architectureand post-event architecture, which both can affect the urbanfabric of a city. Typically the pre-event architecture of an

intermodal transportation hub is the design of the system andthe stations. This system (not the architecture) becomes acatalyst for a citys growth, and typically this growth stimulatesdenser in ll developments. The dense, in ll development builtnear and around the new station is the post-event architecture.The high level of accessibility can provide the critical demandfor the development of particular activities.

7


15/109

Fresno Station, Fresno, USA

ANTICIPATING THE GROWTH

The anticipation of area redevelopment that occurs around ahigh speed rail station is now a necessary step to consider whendeciding where to situate a station in an urban environment.Most cities tend to put the station is an area that could use aboost in development, a perfect weapon against urban sprawl.The state of California, who just received 2.25 billion in federal

high speed rail funding, recognizes this fact. The CaliforniaHigh-Speed Rail authority displays there anticipation of futuredevelopment due to station insertion on their website, with theirvideo time lapses showcasing San Jose, the Transbay TerminalArea, Fresno, Sacramento, and Anaheim stations1.

This poses an interesting issue when Implementing a stationwithin an urban context. While the design of the station has tobe ready to incorporate itself into the existing environment, justas much consideration has to go into designing the station soit will also incorporate itself with future developments. Not only

can surrounding development be anticipated, but so can theopportunity of expansion. While initial networks are created witha beginning and an end, it is easy to anticipate that in the futurethose networks could expand. The station must be designedknowing that one day in the future it might be called upon toexpand to another city centre. And with this comes a new owof people into the station, and unless properly designed in therst place, it will not have the required capacity to accommodatethe inux of new people.

1 California High Speed Rail Authority. State of California. Web. 3 Feb. 2010. http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/5


16/109

NON-PLACE : EXISTENCE IN INFRASTRUCTURE

According to Marc Auges book, non-places: Introduction to ananthropology of supermodernity, non-place are spaces formedin relation to certain ends (transport, transit, commerce, leisure),and the relations that individuals have with these spaces 1. Nonplaces occur in space and time just like places, but they arethe spaces that reside in between anthropological places. Non

space is dominated by signs, texts, and images that describeplaces other then the one you are currently in. For example, ahighway connects to distinct places, and they tend to run outsideof towns that are in between. But these places are present bythe signs on the side of the road. So a sign saying historicsite, food and beverage, hotel, etc. describes a place for youwithout you ever actually being in it. The place being describedbecomes present in your mind, and with that information, youcan decide whether or not you would like to visit it.

As anthropological places create the organically social, so

non-places create solitary contractually1

. So while in a non-place you might be surrounded by like minded individuals, saya waiting room in an airport, people tend to remain solitary,because they did not come to the waiting room to meet peoplelike a bar, it is merely a intermediary space to which to waitfurther instruction on how to reach your intended place. Thewaiting room is never a destination.

Infrastructure has a large amount of non-places in them, areasof transit, guided by signs, imagery and text directing you topotential places. A waiting room in an airport, a lineup to board,

the large expanses of space in between different check points.These spaces need to be considered when designing any newtransportation hub.

1 Aug, Marc, and John Howe. Non-places: Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity. NewYork: Verso, 2000. Print. pg.94

Non-place Diagram 69


17/109

RESILIENT CITIES

Resilient City, as dened in Resilient Cities, is a citys ability torespond to a natural resource shortage and respond to therecognition of the human impact on climate change1. Resilientcities are cities that can substantially reduce their dependenceon petroleum fuels in ways that are socially and economicallyacceptable and feasible, and have built in systems that can

adapt to change, such as diversity of transport and land-usesystems and multiple sources of renewable power that will allowa city to survive shortages in fuel supplies1.

Resilient cities focus on two major categories that can signicantlyhelp a city become more resilient, the built environment andtransportation. The two categories are dealt with by puttinga focus on transit oriented design (TOD), pedestrian orienteddesign (POD) and green oriented design (GOD). Focusing onesattention to these areas can help create a city less dependenton natural resources making the city more prepared for future

crisis. What is interesting about Resilient cities, is that thereprinciples and goals can be applied to a smaller scale such as abuilding. This creates a building that becomes a building blockto a resilient city, while acting as resilient city itself. Creatingbuildings in this manner can also act as precedents for buildingsin the future to follow.

In transportation, there are 7 elements that help propel a cityinto becoming a resilient city1. These elements do not need toonly respond to the city, but can also be applied to a building ifthat building has a large enough impact on the city as a whole.

1 Newman, Peter, Timothy Beatley, and Heather Boyer. Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate

Change. Washington, DC: Island, 2009. Print.

Element-1 A transit system that is faster than trafc in all majocorridors.

Element-2 Viable centres along the corridors that are densenough to service a good transit system.

Element-3 Walkable areas and cycling facilities that can meaeasy access by non-motorized means, especially in thescentres.

Element-4 Services and connectivity that can guarantee accesat most times of the day or night without time wasted.

Element-5 Phasing out freeways and phasing in congestiotaxes that are directed back into the funding of transit and walkcycle facilities as well as trafc calming measures.

Element-6 Continual improvement of vehicle engines to ensuremissions, noise, and fuel consumption are reduced, especiallya move to electric vehicles.

Element-7 Regional and local governance that can enablvisionary green transport plans and funding schemes to bintroduced.

1


18/109

PRECEDENTSPRECEDENT EVALUATION

Station precedent studies were done on a variety of stationtypes in order to understand what types of stations are ideal forwhat types of situations.

The stations were evaluated based on their size, locationand programmatic inclusion. While all information was notavailable to compare each to every category, their was enoughinformation to give a basis to analyze. The following is criterialooked at for each station to analyze its given context.

SURROUNDING CONTEXT

RESIDENTIAL / PARKAny area that is dominantly residential buildings, parks or areasdeemed living / open public leisure.

NON RESIDENTIALAny area that is not residential, which includes commercial,industry, retail, or government type buildings.

RAIL LANDSAny area that is only rail company access. This area is usuallyoccupied by tracks and has no public access.

PROGRAM INCLUSION

BUS DEPOT

RETAIL

HOTEL

LEISURE

PARKING

OFFICE

11


19/109

THROUGH INTERMODAL STATIONThis station type is a connection point to transfer to differentdestinations. They can be quite large and are usually places totransition from heavy rail to light rail systems.

TERMINUS INTERMODAL STATIONThis station type is the end for one network, but is a connectionpoint to another network, usually a light rail system for the city itis located in.

THROUGH STATIONThese stations are merely a stop on the way. Not the end orbeginning, and it to contains all other vehicular options forpassengers.

TERMINUS STATIONStations such as these are the end of the road so to say. Theconnect to no other rail options, but will connect to other optionssuch as park n ride, cabs, buses, or rented cars. These stationstend to be quite large.

UNDERGROUND RAILWAYThis method requires the most construction, but does not interferewith existing circulation on the surface. Tracks are covered andthe system is hidden from sight. Systems such as these requireextensive emergency exits and ventilation treatments.

TRENCH RAILWAYThis method is more cost efcient then underground, butit occupies the same space as the ground level option andrequires additional construction to bypass it. On a positive note,ventilation issues are not a concern.

GROUND LEVEL RAILWAYIs the least construction intensive method, but is the most spaceoccupying of all choices. The barrier created by building onground level usually involves additional structures to cross thetracks and usually requires a buffer zone from pedestrians.

VIADUCT RAILWAYElevated rail ways do not disrupt the existing infrastructure belowand allow people to pass under without additional constructions.Can be cheaper then tunnelling, but is more intrusive thenunderground methods.

RAIL TYPE STATION TYPE

1


20/109

LIEGE GUILLEMINS STATION

Completion: 2008Location: Liege, BelgiumArchitect: Santiago CalatravaLevels: 3Size: 49 000m2

Context: Urban EdgeTranportation: HSR, Rail, LIght Rail, Bus, LoopProgram: ofce, retail, parking

Client: SNCB Holding, Infrabel and Euro LigeTGVStart of Construction: 1996Opening: September 18, 2009Construction Area: 49.000 m2 (including roads)Overall Length: 488 m

Total Length of Steel Work Built: 410 mTotal Width of Steel Work Built: 160 mMaximum Distance Between Supports: 158 mTotal Area of Glass Roof: 33. 000 m2

7 Liege Station Site Diagram

13


21/109

This station was conceived as a link between two distinct areasof the city of Lige, which previously had been separated bythe railroad tracks. On the north side of the site is a rundownurban area, laid out in a typical 19th century scheme. On thesouth side, on the slopes of the Cointe Hill, is a less dense,landscaped residential area. Calatravas design bridges thesetwo areas with a 200 m (656 ft) passenger terminal.

The station is covered by a monumental vault, constructed ofglass and steel, which allows for a sense of interpenetrationbetween the station and the city. The pedestrian bridges anda walkway under the tracks allow for uid communicationbetween the two sides of the station. On the lowest level, astrip of commercial units helps reinforce the station to the givencommercial of the existing surrounding area.

In essence, the building acts as a bridge to Cointe Hill to thecity of Liege, and as a gateway with its monumental structure.This project is an excellent example to compare to the city ofEdmonton in scale and context.

8 Liege Station plan

9 Liege Station section

10 Liege Station elevation

11 Liege Station interior 12 Liege Station platform view1


22/109

LEHRTER STATION

Completion: 2006Location: Berlin, GermanyArchitect: von Gerkhan, Marg + PartnersLevels: 5Size: 175 000m2

Site: 100, 000m2

Context: Urban EdgeTranportation: HSR, Rail, LIght Rail, Bus, LoopProgram: ofce, retail, leisure, hotel, parking

Client: DB Projekt Verkehrsbau GmBHStart of Construction: 2002Opening: 2006

13 Lehrter Station Site Diagram

15


23/109

This station was conceived on the historic Lehrter Bahnhoff,where an east-west and a north-south InterCity Express railwayline intersect, combined with suburban and underground railway

lines. The central design principle of the Lehrter Bahnhoff isthe prominent emphasis of the existing railway tracks in theurban landscape. Large ligree glass roofs as well as twobridging ofce buildings translate this principle with architecturalmeans.1

The site for this station was selected because of its proximityto centre of Berlin. The area at the time of construction was inarea that was not heavily populated and composed of mainlygovernment buildings.

1 http://gmp-architekten.de

14 Lehrter Station at night

15 Lehrter Station platform level

16 Lehrter Station aerial view rendering1


24/109

BIJLMERMEER STATION

Completion: 2007Location: Amsterdam, the NetherlandsArchitect: Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners/ Janvan Belkum and Neven Sider, Arcadis ArchitectsLevels: 2

Size: 60 000m2

Context: Urban EdgeTranportation: Rail, LIght Rail, Bus, LoopProgram: retail

Client: City of AmsterdamStart of Construction: 2002Opening: 2007

17 Bijlmermeer Station Site Diagram

17


25/109

The district of Bijlmermeer is an example of the failure of urbanplanning of the 1960s and 70s. Built as a satellite town afterthe precepts of the Athens Charter, the area for living, working,shopping, and entertainment are all strictly separated. Theintention was to create the modern city of the future, but insteada monotonous district was built that was later plagued by high

unemployment and a reputation as a poor and unsafe area.

1

Bijlmer Arena Station was part of a master plan proposed byDutch architect Pi de Bruijn, which included a wide pedestrianboulevard aligned diagonally to the railway tracks to connectthe two districts. This master plan is directed towards xingthe mess left behind, and the station is an integral part in thistransformation.

The building has been warmly received in Amsterdam and isgenerally perceived as a catalyst for the development of thearea on both sides of the tracks.2

1 Thorne, Martha. Modern Trains and Splendid Stations: Architecture, Design, and Rail Travel for theTwenty-rst Century. London: Merrell, 2001. Print.2 http://ca.urbarama.com/project/amsterdam-bijlmer-arena-station-2576

18 Bijlmermeer station plan

19 Bijlmermeer station section 20 Bijlmermeer station interior

21 Bijlmermeer station aerial view1


26/109

KYOTO STATION

Completion: 1997Location: Kyoto, JapanArchitect: HIroshi Hara

Levels: 15Size: 238 000m2

Context: UrbanTranportation: HSR, Rail, LIght Rail, Bus, LoopProgram: retail, ofce, leisure, hotel, parking

Client: City of KyotoStart of Construction: 2002Opening: 1997

22 Kyoto Station Site Diagram

19


27/109

Kyoto was one of the least modern cities in Japan due to itsmany cultural heritage sites, but with the introduction of HiroshiHaras futuristic station, a new wave of high-rise developmentsthreatened the very image of traditional 1200 year old Kyoto.

The ensuing buildings built near and around the station weredrastically different then the vernacular architecture of Kyoto,which consisted primarily of 3 to 6 story buildings. In essence,the transportation hub acted as a catalyst for modern architecturein what was considered a traditional city.

Kyoto station is not merely a train station; it has movie theatres, amall, a hotel and other amenities. The sheer size of the buildingis also impressive given the incredibly small site it had to workwith (38 000m2 site with 238 000m2 gross space). The projectis an excellent example of utilizing small space to still create a

large facility which has become a central hub within Japan.

23 Kyoto Station plan

24 Kyoto Station interior

25 Kyoto Station section

26 Kyoto Station exterior2


28/109

INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL

WATERLOO STATION

Completion: 1993Location: London, EnglandArchitect: NIcholas Grimshaw

Levels: 4

Size: (International Terminal) 60 000m2

Context: Urban EdgeTranportation: HSR, Rail, LIght Rail, Bus, LoopProgram: retail, ofce, leisure, parking

27 Waterloo Station Site Diagram

21


29/109

The International Terminal Waterloo Station is an intermodaltransport facility that is situated in the heart of London. Thebuilding was an extension onto the existing station to allow for thecross channel connection. While the roof is the dominant feature

of the building, providing an excellent view of Westminister, 90%of the building is situated underground.

The building acts much like an airport, with departures andarrivals on separate oors of a double via duct system. Thisis to ensure the ow of movement in the building is conned toone direction. While the building includes many amenities, it ismore focused on the transportation movement. It is a primarygateway into London.

28 Waterloo Station platform level

29 Waterloo Station section / perspective

30 Waterloo Station exterior2


30/109

ORIENT STATION

Completion: 1998Location: Lisbon, PortugalArchitect: Santiago CalatravaLevels: 6Size: 80 000 m2

Context: Urban EdgeTranportation: HSR, Rail, LIght Rail, Bus, LoopProgram: retail, police, parking

31 Oriente Station Site Diagram

23


31/109

Oriente Station was built as a gateway to Expo 98, but wasalso supposed to help Lisbon achieve its far reaching, longterm goals. Not only was the project an important interchangebetween HSR and other modes of transportation, but it was alsoimportant in the revitalization and transformation of the formerlydecaying industrial area called Doca dos Olivais. By 2010,some 25,000 people should be living in the new residential areaalong the Tagus River, which was once occupied by militarybarracks, oil renery tanks and industrial facilities1

The building is composed of 2 different distinct parts, the elevated

train platforms and the bus terminal adjacent to it. There is abridge on the eastern side of the building that connects thebuilding closer to shore of the Tagus River.

1 Thorne, Martha. Modern Trains and Splendid Stations: Architecture, Design, and Rail Travel for theTwenty-rst Century. London: Merrell, 2001. Print.

32 Oriente Station plan

33 Oriente Station section

34 Oriente Station exterior

35 Oriente Station entrance2


32/109

36 Precedent Comparison Chart25


33/109

2


34/109

GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXTALBERTA

Situated between British Columbia and Saskatchewan, liesthe prairies economic power house of Alberta. Primarilyfueled by the Oil and petrochemical industries and to a lesserextent agriculture, forestry and technology; Alberta posted 291billion GDP, the third largest in Canada behind Quebec and

Ontario1. Naturally, such a booming economy has attracted theattention of other provinces and the world. Permanent and non-permanent residents are ooding into Alberta from internationaland interprovincial migration to take advantage of the jobopportunities provided by the resource rich land. It boasts thecountrys highest demographic growth at .60% 2, which is morethen triple the national rate. There is no question that Alberta ison the up and up.

Alberta is the fourth most populated province in Canada, witha population of 3,632,483 people as of Jan 1st 2009 1, with

the majority of the population situated in the Edmonton Calgary Corridor (also known as Canadas Western Tiger), aregion that extends 260km from Edmonton to Calgary. TheCorridor consists primarily of the two major metropolitanareas of Edmonton and Calgary, which in 2006 accounted forabout 67% of the total of Albertas population3. This area isthe primary urban corridor of Alberta, and is connected via theQueen Elizabeth II Highway (QE2).

1 Canada. Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada, 11 Oct. 2009. Web. 20 Jan. 2010. http://www40.

statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/econ15-eng.htm

2 Canada. Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada, 26 Mar. 2009. Web. 20 Jan. 2010. http://www.

statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/090326/dq090326a-eng.htm

3 Canada. Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada, 2006. Web. 20 Jan. 2010. http://www12.statcan.

gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-550/Index.cfm?TPL=P1C&Page=RETR&LANG=Eng&T=202&PR

=48&S=0&O=A&RPP=50.

37 Precedent Comparison Chart

38 Alberta Collage27

QUEEN ELIZABETH HIGHWAY II


35/109

QUEEN ELIZABETH HIGHWAY II

The QE2 is one of the busiest highways in Canada and is thepreferred mode of travel in the Calgary-Edmonton corridor.It is a dual divided highway, with interchange connections atkey roadways and facilitates Albertas love affair with motorvehicles. Auto travel composes of 91% of the estimated tripsbetween the metropolitan areas of Edmonton and Calgary,

with the remaining 9% of the market being divided between airtravel and bus travel. It is estimated that roughly 6,900 one-way vehicle trips between the metropolitan areas of Calgaryand Edmonton occur each day 1. In 2006, 8,927,00 madetrips between Calgary, Edmonton and Red deer by vehicle, and616,000 by air passenger ights1.

During the winter months, extreme snow conditions and whiteouts cause hundreds of vehicular accidents a year. Currentlythe only alternative for commuters going between Calgary andEdmonton is by air. But by the time you have gone through allof the airport procedures, the time taken to get from Calgaryto Edmonton or vice versa is the same if not more time then ittakes to drive, approximately 3 hours. Because of this, morepeople opt to drive the highway then take ights.

As the population increases so will the trafc on the QE2 alongwith it the need to expand the highway. This in turn will resultin the increased cost of maintenance on the highway, moreaccidents per year, and higher CO2 emissions.

1 Oliver, Wyman, and TEMS Inc. MARKET ASSESSMENT OF HIGH SPEED RAIL SERVICE IN THE CAL-

GARY--EDMONTON CORRIDOR. Rep. Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation, Feb. 2008. Web. 20 Jan. 2010.

http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/publications/production/AIT_Market_Assessment_Full_Rpt_02-

2008_FINAL_rev.pdf.

39

40 QE II in summer and winter

2

UNITING TWO CITIES


36/109

41 Preliminary HSR Route from Alberta HSR Inc.

UNITING TWO CITIESALBERTA HSR

Enter the High Speed Rail (HSR) option, a transportation systemthat could shuttle passengers between the two metropolitanareas slightly over an hour. The proposed stops are at thethree major urban cities in the corridor, Edmonton, Red Deerand Calgary. Calgary would have three stations within its

metropolitan area and Edmonton would have two. The HSRsystem is intended to be an answer for rising oil prices, trafccongestion, airport delays and CO2 emissions.Travelers by auto or air will benet as the HSR system willcontribute to highway congestion relief and reduced traveltimes for users not using the HSR1. A HSR option wouldsignicantly decrease the amount of emissions caused byvehicles and help slow the increase of Albertas overall CO2emissions. The addition of HSR system could also be usedpolitically. Not only is it projected that a HSR system could

drastically boost Albertas economy, but also make it moreappealing to international immigration.

1 TEMS inc., Government of Alberta Ministry of Transportation. Economic Benets for Development of High

Speed Rail Service in the Calgary - Edmonton Corridor. Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation, Feb. 2008.

Web. 20 Jan. 2010. http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/publications/production/Economic_Benets_of_

HST_02-2008_rev.pdf.

29


37/109

Departure frequency: 1 every hour

Departure capacity: 10 per/hrEstimated Annual Ridership: 3,000,000 per/year

Time of journey: 84 minutes

Alberta High-Speed Rail Inc., a private for prot company, wasformed in the late 1990s to be the operator of this passenger railservice. Their sole purpose is to bring high-speed passenger railservice to the Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary corridor in Alberta,Canada1. The company has done studies on the ideal route for

a rail line to go into Alberta, and have dubbed it the greeneldroute.

The route is a mile west of the QEII highway and will use adedicated double track passenger line which uses bridges andtunnels to bypass existing roads. The government has alreadybegun to purchase farmland in the route to anticipate theconstruction of the line in the not too distant future.

For Edmonton, many decisions have been made about the line.Edmonton will have two stations, a downtown location and a

large park n ride station on the southern outskirts of the cityboundary. But what the city has yet to gure out is where thedowntown station will be located, and how the train will passover the North Saskatchewan River. Some have suggesteda new bridge be constructed to accommodate the line, whileothers have suggested reusing the Edmonton High Level Bridgecould be a viable option. As for the station, should it renovatethe existing CN tower which used to facilitate rail travel, or willan alternative new station provide more benets for the city?

1 http://www.albertahighspeedrail.com/ 42 Siemens Velaro and Alberta HSR Logo

CONTEXT IN TIME


38/109

43 Parade celebrating anniversary of the Hudson Bay Company, Edmonton 1920

44 Edmonton 1910

CONTEXT IN TIMEEDMONTON ORIGINS

In 1754, Anthony Henday, an explorer for the Hudson BayCompany, was sent near to the present day site of Edmontonto make contact with the natives of the interior to establish acloser connection to the people who would normally travel tothe Hudson bay for trading1. In 1808, New Fort Edmonton

and New Fort Augustus were built on the site that is now thepresent site of the City of Edmonton, on the edge of the NorthSaskatchewan River. The two forts were eventually combinedwith the amalgamation of the North West Fur Company into theHudsons Bay Company. The new Fort Edmonton became thedistribution centre of the North West, and a major supply postfor the HBC trans Canada route. The surrounding fertile groundsoon attracted more settlers, which helped turn Edmonton intoa major regional commercial and agricultural centre.

1 History of the Edmonton River Valley. Edmonton River Valley : Information and Images. 1 Jan. 2008. Web.

14 Jan. 2010. http://www.edmontonrivervalley.com/history.html

31


39/109

45 Edmonton 1969 -2009

3

EDMONTON AND RAIL


40/109

Up until 1904, when Edmonton was incorporated as a city, theNorth Saskatchewan River was the only major transportationline into the region. It was at this point when Canadian Railcompanies began to rapidly change Edmonton by bringing inrail lines connecting Edmonton to Calgary in the south (1891by Canadian Pacic Railway), Eastern Canada (CanadianNorthern Railway 1905) and the Peace River district of northernAlberta (Dunvegan and British Columbia Railway 1915). Theserailways formed the basis for what became the NorthernAlberta Railways between 1929 and 19801. The ooding in ofRailway companies into Edmonton began the development ofmany freight yards, stations, and the historic High Level Bridge,nally bridging the rail gap over the North Saskatchewan River.Following the development of infrastructure to support the raillines came other signicant landmarks; the Hotel MacDonald,Edmontons premier Hotel1 and the Alberta LegislatureBuilding.

The railways also caused a spike in the population shortly aftertheir arrival. In 1901, the town of Edmonton had only 2,626inhabitants, but by 1914 the population was rising to more than70,000 2.

The railways made Edmonton the major terminal for CanadianNationals operations in the region, which resulted in thecompany stationing their regional headquarters at the CN towerin the downtown district. Today, CNs network OperationsCentre is responsible for all CN operations across the NorthAmerican Network, and remains an important local employer

and corporate citizen1.

1 Edmonton AB (2204). Canadian Railway Hall of Fame. The Canadian Railway Hall of Fame, 01 Jan. 2004.

Web. 14 Jan. 2010. http://www.railfame.ca/sec_ind/communities/en_2004_Edmonton_Ab.asp

2History of Edmonton. City of Edmonton. City of Edmonton. Web. 14 Jan. 2010. http://www.edmonton.ca/

city_government/planning_development/history-of-edmonton.aspx

46 Aerial view of Edmonton 1935

33


41/109

47 Edmonton population time line3

EDMONTON IN CONTEXT


42/109

PRESENT DAY EDMONTON

Edmonton is the Capital of Alberta with a metropolitan

population of 1.5 million, about 700 000 of which live in the

city. The city is the most northern in Alberta and because soexperiences cold winters and hot summers.

The city has been in a constant rivalry with its southern neighbor

Calgary for decades ever since Edmonton was chosen to bethe capital over Calgary. Since then the cities are always

competing for large events and businesses to come to their

city over the other. Calgary got the 1988 Winter Olympics andnow Edmonton is bidding for the 2017 World Expo. The NHL

hockey teams, the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames,are probably the best representation of the so called battle of

Alberta. A high speed rail solution in Alberta might be able to

begin to put this rivalry to rest, much like the Edmonton HighLevel bridge ended the rivalry between the town of Edmonton

and the town of Strathcona.

48 City of Edmonton

35


43/109

EDMONTONS VALUES

Every city has their own set of values that help shape theiridentity. And it is this identity that must always be considered

before introducing an urban intrusive element. Edmonton is no

different and it states their goals directly in their strategic planfor development from 2009-2018. In it states 6 primary goals

that it is aiming to achieve1:

1 Preserve and Sustain the Environment

2 Improve Livability

3 Transform Urban Form

4 Shift Transportation Modes

5 Ensure Financial Sustainability

6 Diversify the Economy

1 The Way Ahead: City of Edmonton Strategic Plan. Edmonton: City of Edmonton, 2009.

Print.49 Edmonton Strategic Plan

3

ENVIRONMENTAL CLIMATE


44/109

Edmonton is a city that experiences two different extremes whenit comes to climate. During the winter months from Novemberto March, the city experiences extremely cold conditions. Thecity is blanketed in snow and can experience temperatures aslow as -40 degrees Celsius. This climate helps support a widevariety of activities that go on in the city such as ice skating,skiing, etc., but it also contributes to vehicular accidents,

delayed trafc, and in some extremes death by hypothermia.

On the opposite end of the spectrum Edmontons summer isvery hot and dry, which can reach temperatures around 30C.This weather supports Edmontons other leisure activities suchas bike riding, hiking, swimming, etc. Albertan skies are rarelycloudy during the summer, and during this time it is hard toescape the heat.

In order to design for the city of Edmonton one must take intoconsideration that they are designing for two specic seasons,

and they need to be designed in such a way so as not tocompromise the comfort level of individuals.

50 Edmonton in Winter

51 Year Round Temperature for Edmonton37


45/109

The temperature of the ground in Edmonton is consistently warmthroughout the year averaging at roughly 3 degrees Celsius.This feature poses some advantages, to which Edmonton hasmonopolized off of before.

Many of Edmontons downtown core is connected by anunderground network, primarily for the reason of sheltering the

public from the brutal winter temperatures. The warm groundtemperatures can also be seen as a potential heating aid for abuilding using geo-exchange technology.

Another factor to know about Edmonton is its wind primarilycomes from the North west. This becomes important not onlywhen considering things such as natural ventilation or buildingstress, but also considering design strategies to circumvent theformation of snow drifts.

52 Edmonton Ground Temperature

53 Edmonton wind speed/direction3

URBAN SPRAWL


46/109

Edmonton is a city that was built alongside the evolution ofthe car. When the motor vehicle was introduced, it replacedthe horse and carriage and reduced peoples dependency onthe streetcar. The motor vehicle became the main mode oftransportation for the city, drastically affecting how the city wasdesigned. Increased roads and surface parking lots began toinfect the urban fabric of the city. The worst thing about them,

is that a city so dependent on the car is not building up or down,but rather out, creating urban sprawl.

The space used by these parking lots could easily be usedfor much larger parkades, with mixed use complexes or ofcebuildings above them. The car may be the cause of thesprawl, but it is the owners of them that are responsible for thehindrance on the city.With the introduction of the HSR system, these areas becomeprime real estate for new developments. These developments

in turn will help to repair the damage that has been done, whichwill benet the city as a whole.

54 Edmonton Surface Parking lots

39


47/109

55

56 Figure ground illustration: Downtown Edmontons Urban Fabric between 1967 - 2008

Vehicles effect on Jasper Avenue Development

1967 1981 2008

4

EXISTING PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE


48/109

Besides personal motor vehicles, Edmonton does have aprogressive public transportation system. Currently the city hasone light rail transit (LRT) line extending from the north east ofthe city to the south west (as shown in blue in the right image).This line services many of the people of Edmonton, providingthem with park n rides on the outskirts of the city so people canuse the public system to get into the downtown area. The LRT

connects the outskirts of the city to its major urban elementssuch as the University of Alberta, the government district, thedowntown business core, and the Rexall Place stadium.

While the system is small now, the city of Edmonton has alreadyapproved the routes of two new lines (shown in green to theright image). One that connects the north east of the city tothe downtown area and another that connects west Edmontonto the south east side of Edmonton. All of the lines will crossin the major downtown area, and it is estimated that 120 000people will pass through this zone any given day.

These two lines are not Edmontons only vision, they plan onexpanding the system even further, along with connectingto Edmonton International Airport. Edmonton also boast anintricate bus network that connects with the LRT system,allowing anyone in the downtown area to access almostanywhere else in the metropolitan area. All of these existinginfrastructure elements provide people opportunities to accessany part of the city, and all of them connect to the downtowncore.

57 Approved LRT routes

41


49/109

58 LRT Long term potential 59 Future LRT plans4

DEFINING URBAN ELEMENTS1 EDMONTON RIVER VALLEY


50/109

1 EDMONTON RIVER VALLEY

The Edmonton River Valley is the longest stretch of connectedurban parkland in North America and is nicknamed the Ribbonof Green. The park covers 27,400 acres of parkland, including11 lakes, 14 ravines, and 22 major parks. The River Valleysrecreational facilities are all connected by an intricate network

of bike paths, walking trails, and hiking paths. During the wintersome of these paths double as cross country skiing paths. Theriver valley includes such tourist features such as the ValleyZoo, Fort Edmonton Park and the Muttart Conservatory.1

The river valley supports a wide variety of wildlife, and is thehome to one of the largest remaining concentrations of healthyAmerican Elm trees in the world. The river is over 2 millionsyears old, originating at the Saskatchewan Glacier and theColumbian Ice eld, and continues on to the Hudson Bay. Theriver valleys exposed wall reveals Edmontons geological

history displaying evidence of volcanic eruptions, the Devoniansea and coal seams created by tropical forests of the past.

The River Valley is prone to erosion because of the natureof the banks and the river ow.2 The inside Bend of theriver accumulates material from the river while the bank sideexperiences undercutting from the increased speed of thewater. This undercutting causes the instability of the cliff side.

This valley parkland system has become a dening feature forthe city of Edmonton, and a place where Edmontonians can go

to escape the busy connes of the city.

1 Parks and River Valley. City of Edmonton. Web. 19 Jan. 2010. http://www.edmonton.ca/parks-river-valley.aspx.2 Geological History. Ed. John Godfrey. The River Valley Alliance. Web. 19 Jan. 2010. http://www.rivervalley.ab.ca/media/uploads/rva-geological-history.pdf

60 Edmonton River Valley

61 Edmonton River Valley

43


51/109

62 Edmonton River Valley Land Stability4

2 HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE

Th hi h l l b id (1910 1913) i Ed t i d bl


52/109

The high level bridge (1910-1913) in Edmonton is a doubledeck truss bridge that was used for tramcars, trains, vehiclesand passengers. The bridge was designed by P. M. Motley, andis owned by Canadian Pacic Railway (CPR). It was one of thefour great steel truss bridges constructed by the CPR in Canadabefore World War I. The bridge links 109 Street on Edmontonssouth side with downtown Edmonton to the north. Currently

the upper level is the property of the Province of Alberta.

The bridge was built when Edmonton was nally connected toEastern Canada, which spurred a huge inux of people intothe region. The bridge united the two rival town of Edmontonand Strathcona and shortly after its construction, Edmontonamalgamated the town of Strathcona and became the city ofEdmonton.

The bridges width is 13.11m wide, 755.29m long, and sits47.85m above the valley oor 1. Its design employs two distinct

steel truss types, the Pratt Truss and the Warren Truss2. Theproject cost 2 000 000$ at the time and 4 people lost their livesduring the construction 3.

1 High Level Bridge. Nicholas Janbergss Structurae. Web. 17 Jan. 2010. http://en.structurae.de/struc-tures/data/index.cfm?id=s0007331.2 Alberta Register of Historic Places: High Level Bridge. HeRMIS. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. https://hermis.alberta.ca/ARHP/Details.aspx?DeptID=1&ObjectID=4664-00313 Infole: Bridges - Edmonton. Edmonton Public Library. Web. 17 Jan. 2010. http://www.epl.ca/InfoFile/EPLInfoleDetail.cfm?subject_detail=Bridges%20-%20Edmonton.

64 HIgh Level Bridge 1930

63 Two Towns

45


53/109

65 High Level Bridge Drawings4

The bridges signicance in Edmonton was further celebratedwhen it was designated as a national historic site by the


54/109

when it was designated as a national historic site by theCanadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE). The structurenow only serves as a one way vehicle bridge and passengerbridge connecting downtown Edmonton to the south side of theNorth Saskatchewan River.

In 1989 an art piece was added to the bridge by Peter Lewis,

designing a man-made waterfall that is turned on for specialevents.

Railroad service over the bridge ended in 1989, and streetcartrafc ceased in 1951. The many series of changes the bridgehas gone through has shown its resilience through history,helping it become a major landmark and icon of the city ofEdmonton.

67 Edmonton High Level Bridge at Dusk

66 Peter Lewis Waterfall

47

TREETCAR

REETCAR

RAIL

RAIL

REETCAR


55/109

ST

ST

1913-1951

1951-1989 1989-NOW

STR

68 High Level Progression through time4

3 ALBERTA LEGISLATURE GROUNDS

The Alberta Legislature building was built between 1907 and


56/109

The Alberta Legislature building was built between 1907 and1912 by architects Allan Merrick Jeffers and Richard Blakey.The building is surrounded by 57 acres of parkland, and wasbuilt on the original site of Fort Edmonton (shown in the bottomleft of this page). The building has served as the centre ofpolitical activity for the province.

The Legislature building, conspicuous by its size and classicallyinspired design spoke of an optimism about the future of Albertaon the part of its designers and builders.1 The decision to putthe building in Edmonton was a controversial one being that ithad to be placed in either Calgary or Edmonton, of which thecities were rivals. The insertion of the building guaranteed civicgrowth for which ever city received it, and once Edmonton wasdecided the capital of Alberta, the buildings placement wassealed.

The buildings materials came from a variety of destinations

outside of Edmonton. The basement, rst storey exterior andfront steps are of a granite shipped from Vancouver Island.The rest of the exterior is constructed of the yellowish BrownPaskapoo sandstone obtained from Calgarys GlenbowQuarry.1

The building and its grounds include a wading pool, outsideskating rink and lawn bowling centre. The grounds during thesummer is a popular spot for citizens to gather. The popularityof the building and its grounds have made it an icon andlandmark of the city of Edmonton.

1Macauley, Moragh. The 75th Anniversary of Alberta s Legislative Building. Canadian Parlia-mentary Review. Web. 17 Apr. 2010. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/LOP/Infoparl/english/issue.asp?param=122&art=735

69 Alberta Legislature Grounds

70 Alberta Legislature Building 1914

49


57/109

72 Alberta Legislature Building 200871 Alberta Legislature Grounds Map5

SITE ANALYSISHSR STATION IN DOWNTOWN EDMONTON


58/109

The site chosen for the stations insertion is just north of theEdmonton High Level Bridge on the edge of the river valleyparkland, adjacent to the Alberta Legislature Grounds. Thetrain will approach from the south on the old CN line currentlyleft unused. The site is in between 3 major urban elements ofEdmonton: the University of Alberta, the Government district

and the Business district. The station is also located betweenthe two major nightlife streets in Edmonton; Whyte Avenue andJasper Avenue.

The project will use these surrounding elements to improvethe iconic nature of the station and in return the station willhelp promote them to travellers. The synthesis of the two willhelp create a dignied beginning and end to ones journey thatclearly denes Edmontons identity.

Being on the edge of the river valley will also make the station

more visible to a larger audience of the city, becoming avisual reference point in the form of a landmark, a beacon fortravellers.

The site is 14 000 sq.m in size, owned by the provincialgovernment. Because the site, parkland, bridge and surroundingparliament grounds are all owned by the province, there is someexibility in how the station connects to them. These existingurban elements can help provide the station with transitionalgrounds for passenger to pass from train station, to city.

73 Edmonton Site Diagram

51


59/109

74 Edmonton City District Diagram5

14

1022

1

1

1

8

6

14

2

1

1

12

1

2.5

2

4

6

13

1

2

1

5 44

4

4

4

4

2

GRANDIN

SCHOOL

GRANDIN

COUR

T

GS

GOVERNMENT

TRANSITCENTRE

UNDE

PARK

FEDERAL PUBLICBUILDING

(HISTORIC)

ADMINISTRATIONBUILDING

(HISTORIC)

2

BUS DEPOTGRANDIN STATION USING EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE

The site is situated adjacent to the existing Grandin LRTSt ti Thi t ti t t th t f th d t


60/109

L.R.T.

R/W

16

3

1

12

1

+4

+3

5

17

1

11

13

1618

7

1.5

1.51

2

3

3

3

2

2

54 3

3 4

2

2

2

23

15

3

3

3.5

3

2

4

3

3

3

2

3 3

4

1

1

1

1

2

2

1

1

1

1 1

11

1

LEGISLATIVEBUILDING

PROV.POWERSTATION

GREENHOUSE

TERRACEBUILDING

ER

GROUND

KINGACCESS

LEGISLATIVEBUILDING

(HISTORIC)

3

4

5

2

6

7

8

9

10

11

1

UNDERGROUND

NETWORK

LRT LINE

Station. This station connects to the rest of the downtowncore, the university of Alberta and the outskirts of the city.The site is also nearby an existing bus terminal used for thegovernment centre. This too can become an alternative modeof travel to and from the station. These infrastructural elementsare currently connected via an underground network of tunnels

which are used to unite all of the existing government buildingswithout making people have to travel outside when the worstof winter hits.

Its location to other modes of transportation poses otheradvantages as well. Each system is served by its own park nride systems, providing parking lots at locations outside of thecity. These parking lots for the LRT and bus system can doubleas park n ride systems for the train station as well.

Due to the downtown stations proximity to multiple modes of

public transportation, the building will not need any additionalparking, and therefore not contribute further to the existingurban sprawl problem of Edmonton. And those who insist ondriving, can use the other proposed station on the southernoutskirts of the city, which will be designed specically forvehicle parking.

SITE

75 Edmonton Underground networks

53

8

6

14

2

1

1

12

1

2.5

4

6

13

1

2

1

544

4

4

4

4

2

17

2

GRANDIN

SCHOOL

GRANDIN

COURT

GS


(HISTORIC)

2

OPPORTUNITY FOR DEVELOPMENT

There is no shortage of sites to be developed in Edmonton, thekey is to bring the inux of people to develop them The train


61/109

L.R

.T.

R/W

+4

+3

5

17

1

11

13

1618

7

1.5

1.51

2

3

3

3

2

2

54 3

3 4

2

2

2

23

15

2

3

3

3.5

3

2

4

3

3

3

2

1

1

1

1

11

1

LEGISLATIVEBUILDING

PROV.POWERSTATION

LEGISLATIVEBUILDING

(HISTORIC)

3

4

5

2

6

7

8

9

10

11

1

key is to bring the inux of people to develop them. The trainstation will do this on a local scale and international.

To the north west of the site is an area which is relativelyunderdeveloped. The area is sparse, with few high rises andscattered two story homes. With the introduction of a train

station nearby, the value of those properties will rise and will beideal for new developments.

While the northwest of the site is an ideal development ground fornew businesses, their are other areas of the city that will benetas well. Just north of the station there is the old warehousedistrict of Edmonton which is plagued with surface parking lotsand single story warehouses. It is anticipated that this area toowill begin to ll up with high rise developments.

SITE

76 Site Development opportunity5

EXISTING TRAFFIC PATTERNS

While rail lines are known for dividing cities, in this sites case,the Alberta Legislature Grounds and the western residential


62/109

the Alberta Legislature Grounds and the western residentialarea are divided by the 6 lane 109 st. (shown in pink on theleft image). Crossing the road requires using the governmentunderground network or using the melee of island intersectionsto the south, which contributes to rush hour congestion where109 St meets with 97 Ave. These 4 intersections maintain the

trafc, but in turn cause much congestion on the road. Thiscirculation of trafc could occur more efciently with lessintersections.

Currently 109st is a major route in and out of the city. Duringrush hour congestion can back up the street all the way toJasper Ave. Because of this, people try to bypass it by usingthe residential streets of 111th and 110th. While 111th street isa secondary road, 110th is reserved for a residential area notmeant for increased trafc.

The high level bridge contains a one way two lane street to thesouth, and is a primary route for exiting downtown. This smallexit way causes people to bottleneck right before entering thebridge, which contributes to trafc buildup to the north.

97 Ave. also serves the bridge and downtown Edmonton frompeople approaching from the east. Usually used for cominginto the city, it is also used as a secondary route for peopleto access the bridge when leaving the city. The street is alsoan access point for the underground parking for the AlbertaLegislature Building.

Needless to say, a building introduced into this site couldincrease the congestion of the area if not properly planned. Itis for this reason the building must be designed in a mannerthat can improve the current trafc situation.

77 109 St. Division

55

12

1

13

1

78 Intersection panoramic


63/109

L.R.T.

R/W

1

1

12

1

8

+4

+3

5

1

17

1

11

13

1618

7

1.5

1.51

2

3

3

3

2

2

54 3

3 4

2

2

2

2

4

3

15

6

2

3

3

3.5

3

2

4

3

3

2

1

LEGISLATIVEBUILDING


(HISTORIC)

LEGISLATIVEBUILDING

(HISTORIC)

109

ST

110

ST

111

ST

97 AVE

79 Existing trafc ows

78 Intersection panoramic

5

REUSING THE BRIDGEUPGRADES AND PRESERVATION

I d f h i b l d i hi i l d f h


64/109

In order for the station to be located in this vital node of thecity, the train needs to cross the High Level Bridge. Becausethe bridge is a historic resource, changes to the bridge canonly happen if it prolongs its lifespan. The bridge has gonethrough many versions of itself throughout its life in order toaccommodate changes in the cities patterns of movements.

Reusing the bridge for the rail station will be yet another versionfor the bridge to embrace.

This project proposes that the bridge still be used for vehicular,pedestrian and streetcar use, but will add an additional two linesfor the HSR train. In order to do this, the street car must remainin the center and the two HSR lines be placed on the edges ofthe bridge. The bridge is wide enough for this to happen andhas done so in the past, but in order to compensate for theincreased weight on the edge of the bridge, the structure onthe edges needs to be upgraded as shown in blue on the right

hand image.

The bridge will also have to be widened on the northern edgeto begin to separate the tracks to provide for proper platformwidths in the station.

By reusing the bridge you save resources and constructioncosts that would be necessary to create a new one. It will alsoprolong the life of the bridge now that it becomes a vital pieceto the HSR system. Upgrades done to it will still maintain thebridges dening elements and it will also provide a dramatic

entrance and exit for travellers using the train. The bridge wascreated primarily as a rail building block, and once again it willreclaim its original role for a modern day society.

80 Bridge Upgrades

57

STREETCAR

STREETCAR

RAIL

RAIL

STREETCAR

STREETCAR

HSR

HSR


65/109

1913-1951 1951-1989 1989-NOW PROPOSED

81 Bridge Progression5

BUILDING FORMUSING THE SITES NATURAL TOPOGRAPHY

The station needs to be level for boarding and alighting which


66/109

The station needs to be level for boarding and alighting, whichmeans the track will need to be level to the bridge it crosses. Ifthe train were to proceed on a level trajectory with the bridge, itwould begin to go underground as the sites topography beginsto slope upward towards the north.

This situation is actually convenient for the station, becauseif future expansion to the north (Fort Mc Murray) were to beadded to the system, and underground route through the citywould be the least intrusive on the existing urban fabric.

In order to accommodate this though, the station will cutthrough a now forested island between the legislature groundsand the river valley park to the west. To allow for the stationto proceed in this manner while respecting the nature of thesite, the ground is lifted up from the south to create an openingfor the train to disappear into. By doing this, the slope of the

building would no longer be able to support the plant life. Sothe existing plant life is repositioned further north on the sitewhere the slope is not too extreme, helping to populate anarea scarce of vegetation and providing a natural buffer zonebetween 109 St. and the residential high rises to the west. Thiswill also create a treeline for the building form separating theparkland from an emerging building shell dened by a changein slope.

This gesture not only preserves the existing plant life of thesite, but also begins to emphasize the topographic nature of it

as well.

59


67/109

82 Lifting the Land6

LOWERING 109 ST

Because the station will need to accommodate for a concourseand platform access, vehicles will no longer be able to cross


68/109

the rail line unless they go underneath it. For this to happen,109 St. and west 97 Ave. need to be lowered to proceed underthe station. This will ensure that all existing trafc patterns willnot be interrupted by the new station.

The lowering of the land gesture is also used to emphasize theriver valleys geological layers. The edges will now be exposedshowing off the stratied layers of the river valley, furtherengaging the river valley as an entity to be gloried.

83 River Valley Layers

84 East Elevation

61


69/109

85 Lowering 109 St.

6

RESTRUCTURED TRAFFIC

Changes are made to the existing trafc patterns in order to;minimize congestion, separate bridge trafc from station trafcand maintain the peaceful nature 110 St


70/109

and maintain the peaceful nature 110 St.

Station trafc has been separated from 109 St. trafc by forcingthe vehicle to approach the station either from the north by 111St. or from the east by 97 Ave. This allows multiple approachesto and from the station, allowing anyone who leaves the stationby vehicle can either head into the city or south using the HighLevel Bridge. This forces the person heading to the station todo some forward planning, which will help reduce congestion on109 St. knowing one cannot access the station via that route.

Two 109 St. lanes will not be lowered so it can go directly throughto the bridge without having to pass through an intersection,which will reduce the northern congestion during rush hour.

110 St. is capped with a roundabout at its southern tip whichwill ensure people no longer use this street as short cut tothe bridge. This will help maintain the peaceful nature of theneighbourhood and will keep trafc to the primary roads of 111St and 109 St.

86 97 Ave Section

63

1

17

1

7

54 3

3 4

2

2

2

23

15

1

GS GS

109ST

T

17

1

7

45

42.5

40

50

109ST

CK

OC

ITY

ST


71/109

L.R.T

.R/W

12

+4

+3

5

11

13

1618

1.5

1.51

2

3

3

3

2

2

3

3

3.5

3

2

4

3

3

3

1

1

LEGISLATIVE BUILDING

LEGISLATIVEBUILDING

(HISTORIC)

1

110ST

L.R.T

.R/W

11

13

16

1.5

1.5

2

37.5

3

5

42.5

45

47.5

35

37.5

40

1

TO SOUTHEDMONTON

BACK

INTO CITY

BAC

INTO

111S

97 AVE

87 New Trafc Patterns6

UNITING THE EXISTING URBAN ELEMENTS

The Legislature Grounds, the River Valley Park and bike pathfrom the north into it are all divided by 109 St. and 97 Ave,and introducing a new station on the site will further this divide


72/109

and introducing a new station on the site will further this divideunless a solution is incorporated into the building form.

So the next design move was intended to unite all of theseurban elements together through the roof design. Doing thisbegins to benet the area in a variety of ways. It prevents

people from using the intersections to cross the streets andincreases the connectivity of the river valley bike path system,providing an uninterrupted path from the city to the river valleyand the Alberta Legislature Grounds. The pathways also helpdirect people into Edmontons dening sites, increasing publicuse and making them easily accessible for tourists and citizensalike.

Because the site was originally parkland and natural vegetation,it seemed only appropriate to maintain this approach for thenew building design. The buildings roof will have an accessible

green roof with a bike path system that connects directly intothe Alberta Legislature Grounds and River Valley pathwaynetwork.

88 Uniting Urban Elements

89 Uniting Urban Elements

65


73/109

90 Roof Plan with paths6

ROOF CROSS SECTION

The roof form in cross-section is created by referencing thewind direction of the site. While the northern part of the

building is sheltered by tall buildings to the west, the southern


74/109

g y g ,part is exposed to the open river valley. The form begins to

resemble a snow drift, a common form created in the harsh

climate of Edmonton.

The form also begins to open up the east side of the building

towards the Alberta Legislature building. This gives passengersan impression of the city of Edmonton, helping to create a

more memorable beginning or end to ones journey.

The form is also tailored to control natural daylight that comesinto the building. Controlled by overhangs, light is blocked out

of the building during the summer to help maintain a cooler

temperature inside the building. During the winter months, themorning sun is used to ood the station with direct light to help

raise the temperature.

91 Responding to the wind

92 Snow Drift

67


75/109

93 Opening to the Legislature

94 Light diagram6

OVER THE EDGE

Finally the building form takes another opportunity to engagethe bridge and the topography of the river valley visually. The

building extends over the High Level Bridge, appearing as if it


76/109

is levitating above the bridge.

This helps emphasize the topography of the river valleyshowing a huge contrast in the change of elevation to a level

structure above it. The edge of the building is an occupiable

space open to the public and accessible by bike path thatoriginates from the roof bike path. It brings people closer to

the edge, and allows them to have a unique perspective ofboth the river valley, the bridge and the city of Edmonton. The

bridge also becomes a viewing platform to witness incomingand outgoing trains, putting the dynamics of the station on

display from a distinct perspective to all. A visual connection

of the warren truss system used on the bridge is carried overinto the steel structure of the building, becoming a physical

and visual example of how the bridge begins to engage withthe building.

With the building reaching over the bridge, the building becomes

an iconic piece that can be seen throughout the valley and its

edge condition. It now becomes more of an iconic presenceitself, t to belong by its surrounding landmarks.

95 Over the Edge

96 Snow Drift

69


77/109

97 Overhang render 98 Approach Render

99 Overhang7

1 5


78/109

2

3

4

6

7

8

100 Form Diagram

71


79/109

101 Aerial Render

7

STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS

The building can be broken up into three different typesof structural systems: Sire Wall Retaining walls, Concretecolumns, and a Steel Truss system to support the roof.


80/109

y pp

1. The building begins with excavating the site.

2. The soil from the excavation is used to ll up the trench

just north of the site and is used in a Sire wall rammed earthmixture to create retaining walls. The exposed edges appearas stratied layers resembling those of the actual river valleyand also serve as insulation.

3. Then a system of columns, spaced out in 24m intervalsare distributed throughout the entire building. The columns areused to support the platform level and concourse levels.

4. The columns are connected by long beams that span theentirety of the building from north to south. Two of which

directly support the rail line. These columns are used to spanthe platform levels in between.

5. Using the Sire wall Retaining walls as a base, a steel trussframe is used to create the platform space. Using steel allowslarge spans to be made and allows the platform to be columnfree, creating a wide open space.

6. A secondary steel structure is used to span a steel deck overthe entire building to create a base shell to be constructed on.

73

1 4


81/109

1

2

3

4

5

6

102Structural Diagrams

7

PROGRAMLAYERING

The station has a large program consisting of a platform, mainconcourse, train operations, intermodal links and retail. For


82/109

this project in particular, the building has a program of about35000 sq.m, a number determined by comparing precedentsand their track/population numbers to Edmontons. Sincethe site is only 14000 sq.m, the program must be distributed

vertically in layers in order to t onto the site.

As shown in the diagram to the right, services were situated onthe lowest oor, beneath a continuous concourse the length ofthe platform. Above the concourse is the platform and abovethat is a unique waiting area that spans over the edge of theriver valley. Situated to the north of the building is the intermodalconnection, which is surrounded by retail to monopolize off ofthe highest area of trafc.

103 97 Ave. Section

75


83/109

Total program 35000 m2Site footprint 14000 m2

26m wide 250m longEnclosed platform for colder climate On board and platform passenger information

TICKET HALL Includes informational signs, travel indicator board,SECURITY POINT Checkpoint for staff and facilities necessary to monitor station (cameras, viewing room, emergency poles, lost + found)

TRANSPORT / TRAVEL CENTRE Necessary for providing transfer information to LRT, Buses, Taxis, Hotel Bookings, car rentals etc.FIRST AID POINT Staff not necessary, but room with necessary medical assistance untill help arrives

LIGHT RETAIL Examples: Magazine/books, Refreshments, ConveniencePUBLIC WASHROOMS

LUGGAGE LOCKERS

WAITING AREA Seating, valley views, wifi, passenger information, entertainment, kids cornerBUSINESS AREA Private quiet areas with phones, internet, etc.RESTAURANTS Inclusion of sit down restaurants, fast food, and refreshment convenience

EXECUTIVE LOUNGE Similar to airport, bar, higher end finishes, valley viewsSIGNAL CONTROL ROOMS 20m2 These program inclusions were taken from Neufert Third Edition. How the programs interact with each other is somewhat provided, there exact function and s

TELECOMMUNICATIONS ROOM 20m2

EMERGENCY POWER SYSTEM ROOMJANITOR ROOM 10m2

HEATING (BOILER ROOM F

Documents

GP Final Report Greg Freer