Evergreen Line Public Realm
Metro Vancouver BC
The SkyTrain expansion to sprawling Metro Vancouver was a major milestone for the Government of British Columbia’s Provincial Transit Plan. To align with the goal of increased shared ridership, seven new stations were added to the existing Millennium Line, connecting the rapidly growing cities of Coquitlam, Burnaby, and Port Moody to Vancouver. Seamless integration of these bustling SkyTrain stations within the quieter, existing communities was a critical focus. With open space improvements to the plaza areas, we softened the effect of the transportation hubs on the surrounding neighbourhoods.
At their essence, train station plazas are a means to deliver a person from outside through to the train platform. They should be safe, easy to navigate, and highly functional. Our aim was to change the perception that train stations are merely operational by revealing their potential as a gathering space to meet a friend or sit and people watch.
Most importantly, the designs focused on the functional needs of an active transportation station — loading, offloading, operations and maintenance. This functionality came with extensive regulations, guidelines, policies, and engineering requirements, existing in harmony with the public it would serve. A bi-coloured concrete paving pattern cohesively adorns every plaza, while each station has its own unique public art piece designed within the context of its location. Planting and seating elements invite lingering instead of rushing, resulting in comfortable, intentional spaces amidst the functional considerations.
