SciArc
Spring 2009
Instructor E. Manferdini
Collaboration w/ Jairo Vives

Urban Infrastructure

Using the introduction of high-speed rail to San Francisco as an opportunity to reevaluate the city’s existing station and notions of transportation infrastructure in order to redevelop and heal the urban condition that the existing infrastructure has for so long held divided.

The project thus has been focused on creating visual and physical connections across the site, and providing urban space for the surrounding community in addition to developing the multi-model connections to the terminal.

To achieve the urban relationship necessary to reunite the context across the site, the programmatic elements of train platforms, bus connections, ticketing, and offices have been lowered into the site.

By submerging these elements into different strata, the terminal becomes centralized between the new high-speed rails lines and traditional commuter trains, thus challenging the traditional ‘head of the station' format.

To further revitalize the site, the existing train maintenance area has been relocated off site to allow for a large public green space, in order to give back to the community and elevate the urban condition.