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For over a century, rail stations have been the vital hubs of countries’ connectivity, part of an inclusive infrastructure system that drives economies and works for everyone.
Today, rail architecture must respond to the complex and changing ways we live and work, while meeting wider priorities like the push for net zero emissions. At Arup, we see it as a chance to bring human-centred design principles together with deep understanding of the role rail plays in the life of towns and cities.
The changing nature of travel
Rail architecture starts with the passenger or ‘user’ experience. Every location is different, every network has different connections, so every element must first be considered for its role in the local context and wider system. As designers and advisors, we bring together social, economic and cultural knowledge to bear, helping to shape a project’s nature from the very outset. Well-designed rail stations can become motors of the local economy and make public transport more popular, safe and inclusive.
“In this digital era, we’re blessed with so much data, we can design more responsively and responsibly than ever. That means great travel experiences, that are sustainable from end-to-end. Tomorrow’s net zero world demands nothing less. ”
Nille Juul-Sorensen Global Architecture Leader
European Year of Rail 2021
The European Year of Rail is highlighting the importance of rail in the move towards more sustainable mobility.
Discover moreThe five principles of rail architecture
Our work on railway projects around the world has taught us the following five principles when designing stations:
1. Offer a brilliant passenger experience
Railway stations must compete with an increasing number of other travel options. A well-designed station becomes an emblem of city or town pride, and encourages more sustainable behaviour and a move away from fossil-fuel travel. It takes careful planning to design an effortless travel experience. It requires thoughtful use of quality materials, lighting, wayfinding and digital services. Ultimately, it ensures a station becomes the default option for tourists, business people and locals alike.
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Copenhagen metro: An intuitive, seamless travel experience that provides passengers with moments of delight on their journey
2. Be cost-effective over the whole lifespan
Investing in public transport infrastructure means making a commitment to being great value for money. We believe rail architecture can blend function with elegance in a cost-effective manner. Our kit-of-parts design approach ensures maintenance and replacements remain affordable over the rail system's full lifespan, and it's at the hear of our design approach for Finch West Light Rail in Toronto and Luton Airport DART. We believe there’s beauty to a system that will remain operationally sustainable for the future.
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3. Provide seamless connections
Simple, well-designed connections are what elevates a station into a go-to hub for railway travellers. Designing seamless connections requires insights into travel patterns and an understanding of customers’ onward travel preferences. We use our MassMotion software to visualise real travel behaviours and use them to shape the design process. Our design for the UK’s forthcoming HS2 interchange in Solihull envisions the station as a key connector for rail, metro, road and airport users, becoming part of the ‘Midlands Engine’ regeneration area.
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HS2 Interchange: The world’s first railway station to get the top award for environmentally-friendly design
4. Be a good, green neighbour
Rail is increasingly centre-stage as countries attempt to achieve net zero emission economies. This means rail architecture that is prudent in its use of resources, energy efficient in operation and broad in its use of circular economy principles. It also means station designs that are good neighbours to their surroundings. Our station and depot designs for HS2 are driven by this idea, prioritising natural ventilation and daylight, harvesting rainwater, and using solar energy to power key services – placing it in the top 1% of buildings in the UK for eco-friendly credentials.
Discover how we’re pioneering eco-friendly design for HS2’s Interchange Station5. Be data-driven and digitally integrated
Rail operators are becoming digital to the core, from assets and maintenance to station management and on-board and pre-journey services. Today, every passenger is a digital customer. Digital services and infrastructure are the key to meet changing customer expectations and operating a more competitive service. That means that digital integration must be planned at the outset, with open data standards used to help stations share information and drive innovation in operator’s businesses.
Discover how digital could transform the future of stations
Bringing future projects to life with digital technologies that help improve decision-making and stakeholder engagement
Beyond stations
Stations are just the most visible part of the network. As rail architects we also design the functional structures, the depots and over-site developments, that are just as much part of the network. Once more, our design principles embody a human-centred and highly sustainable ethos to what must be high performance buildings with cost-effective maintenance designed in from the outset.
