Beautiful subways from around the world

Zurich

Some of the underground and at-grade S-Bahn stations have interesting architecture.

Photo [Donald Corner and Jenny Young, greatbuildings.com]: The organic concrete structure of Stadelhofen station built in 1990 by architect Santiago Calatrava.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 11:27 AM | Permalink

Washington

The Metrorail system of the US capital has been designed by Harry Weese & Associates to be America's grandest subway and was inaugurated in 1976. The Commission of Fine Arts, which had to approve the design, favoured the station design with coffered vaults [chnm.gmu.edu], [railwayage.com].

Photo: Capitol South station.


Works of art can be found in many stations [wmata.com/about/]. All stations above ground in Washington, as well as the underground ones, have been constructed using the same selection of materials consistently throughout the system. A unique detail are the rows of lamps on all platform edges which start flashing when a train approaches.

Photo: Arlington Cemetery station.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 9:12 AM | Permalink

Vienna

The art-nouveau Stadtbahn stations have been consistently planned by the renowned architect Otto Wagner and date back as far as 1898 when the city rail system was inaugurated [wiennet.at]. Most of them have been beautifully renovated and integrated into the metro system.

Photo [bigfoto.com]: Karlsplatz station pavilion built in 1898.




During tunnel construction for Vienna's metro, many objects have been excavated, some of which are now displayed in several stations [planet-vienna.com].

Photo [wien-diashows.com]: The excavated Virgil chapel under the Stephansdom, dating back to 1250, can be seen through windows from the concourse level of Stephansplatz station.


Some of Vienna's elegant modern metro stations are decorated with works of art.

Photo [hs-st-paul.ksn.at]: Volkstheater station with mosaic friezes by Anton Lehmden.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 8:53 AM | Permalink

Vancouver

Vancouver's LRT is called SkyTrain as it runs elevated except for four underground stations in downtown. The Millennium Line extension built in 2002 includes a couple of interesting stations which incorporate organic designs, west-coast wood architecture and modern metal-and-glass designs.

Photo [archiseek.com]: Brentwood station, designed by Peter Busby+Associates architects.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 8:43 AM | Permalink

Valencia

This metro in Spain has several very different stations with interesting architecture.

Photo [calatrava.com]: Alameda station, designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 8:27 AM | Permalink

Toronto

Most stations are looking more or less alike, except for the colours of the wall tiles. But recently, many works of art have been integrated [city.toronto.on.ca], [transit.toronto.on.ca 1], [transit.toronto.on.ca 2]. The Arts on Track Project aims to revitalize stations [tcf.ca].

Photo [Craig James White, flickr.com]: One of the many optical illusions at Bayview station by artist Panya Clark Espinal.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 8:23 AM | Permalink

Tokyo

All stations on Tokyo's Oedo line (opened in 2000) have been created by different well reputed architects, selected through a design competition [g-mark.org], [makoto-architect.com], [jrtr.net (PDF)]. The organic designs on platform and street levels of Iidabashi station are the world's first examples of computer-generated "evolutionary architecture" as architect Makoto Watanabe describes it in his book (see Reference).

Photo [gandamu]: Entrance of Iidabashi station.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 8:15 AM | Permalink

Tehran

The clean metro system in the capital of Iran has many stations with an interesting architecture or design.

Photo [tehranmetro.com]: Platform level of Mirdamad station from 2002.



There are many works of art integrated in the stations [tehranmetro.com], [iranchamber.com].

Photo [cyberpersia]: Concourse level of Imam Khomeini interchange station, which has been opened in the year 2000.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 8:10 AM | Permalink

Tashkent

Tashkent's metro built in 1977 as one of the most beautiful of the former Soviet Union consists of three lines. Leading architects and artists from Uzbekistan took part in creating the stations, some in Islamic designs.

Photo [ilkhom.ferghana.ru]: Ceiling of Navoiy station from 1984.



Enduring materials have been used for Tashkent's station interiors, like engraved metal, glass, granite, marble, or carved alabaster. Each station's design is distinct and devoted to a certain theme.

Photo [crafts.freenet.uz]: Mustaqilik Maidoni station from 1977.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 8:02 AM | Permalink

Stockholm

Stockholm's subway is referred to as the world's longest art gallery because works of art have been integrated in almost every station since the 1950s. SL spends 10 million SEK per year in safeguarding and developing artwork.

Photo [from SL's free metro art booklet, see Reference]: Platform of T-Centralen station on the Blue Line, designed by Per Olof Ultvedt in 1975.



Many stations in Stockholm have been left as rock caverns, especially on the Blue Line, which gives them an outstanding, unique atmosphere. Works of art can be found in 90 of the 100 stations. 140 artists have contributed so far.

Photo: Rinkeby station built in 1975 on the Blue Line with gold mosaics, paintings, and sculptures.


Photo: Neon sculpture by Gun Gordillo in the ceiling of Hötorget station from 1998 on the Green Line.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:48 AM | Permalink

Singapore

On the North-East Line, opened in 2003, all stations have individual architecture and works of art have been integrated in every station [app-stg.lta.gov.sg].

Photo [deliarts.net]: Ceramic murals and floor mosaics by Deliarts in the concourse level of Dhoby Ghaut station.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:45 AM | Permalink

Sao Paulo

A diversity of geometrical forms were chosen for the underground stations [metro.sp.gov.br]. There's a collection of contemporary sculptures, installations and large murals in 30 of the 52 stations.

Photo [metro.sp.gov.br]: The mezzanine level of Brás station boasts 25 curved steel and polyurethane plates (2.2 m x 1 m each) which form the art installation 'Kaleidoscope' from 1999 by Amélia Toledo.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:41 AM | Permalink

Santiago de Chile

Chile's capital has some metro stations with spectacular yet diverse modern architecture.

Photo [railway-technology.com]: Mirador station built in 1997.



There are also lots of works of art in Santiago's metro, like giant murals and sculptures, especially on line 5 [metrosantiago.cl].

Photo [skyscrapercity.com]: Baquedano station holds the 15 m wide sculpture "El Puente" from 1999 by Osvaldo Peña.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:37 AM | Permalink

Saint Petersburg

Outstanding, palace-like stations similar to those in Moscow [metrowalks.ru], [metrosoyuza.net].

Photo [Alexei Bobko, urbanrail.fotopic.net]: Narvskaya station.



Most stations in Saint Petersburg are of excellent architectural quality.

Photo: Platform of Avtovo station.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:32 AM | Permalink

Rotterdam

This metro was opened in 1968 and has some stations with futuristic architecture or works of art.

Photo [Denis Kabanov, urbanrail.net]: Entrance building of Blaak station on the Calandlijn.




Other examples of interesting stations are Stadhuis (water flowing along vertical glass panels), Oostplein (glass windows in the floor) and some stations on the new Beneluxlijn [xs4all.nl/~kazil].

Photo [Robert Schwandl, urbanrail.net]: Wilhelminaplein station built in 1997.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:28 AM | Permalink

Rhine-Ruhr

The unique hanging monorail in the city of Wuppertal was opened in 1901 and runs above the Wupper river. Some old stations have been carefully restored and contrast in a nice way with rebuilt, architecturally interesting stations of the 1990's.

Photo: Landgericht station from 1903.


Rhine-Ruhr area is an agglomeration of about 30 cities in western Germany with some 20 metro-tram lines and 9 S-Bahn lines [jochen-schoenfisch.de].

Photo: The combined metro-tram and bus station Neue Mitte built in 1996 in the city of Oberhausen, a building obviously influenced by deconstructivist architecture


Photo: Lohring station from 2006 in the city of Bochum with a unique platform made of frosted glass, illuminated from below.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:21 AM | Permalink

Pyongyang

The capital of North Korea hosts a socialist-style metro with murals and a grand architecture [biglobe.ne.jp].

Photo [pyongyang-metro.com]: Platform level of Yonggwang station.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:19 AM | Permalink

Prague

Some of the stations seem to be a homage to Victor Vasarely or kinetic artists of the 1970s. There are thousandfold repetitions of glass or aluminium elements with all stations looking different.

Photo: Jinonice station built in 1988 on line B. Walls are covered with tube-shaped glass tiles.



On line A, which was opened in 1978, station walls are covered with aluminium tiles which come in three versions (convex, concave or flat) and in different shades of colour. The designers thus managed to create a stunning, science-fiction-like appearance.

Photo: Flora station built in 1980 on line A.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:11 AM | Permalink

Porto

This city in northern Portugal got a light rail system in 2002. It runs partly underground and partly on street level. The rails are sometimes embedded in grass. Underground station architecture, surface-station furniture, signage and typography are quite consistent in their cool minimalistic elegance. Predominant materials are concrete, glass and steel [nunovski.fotopic.net].

Photo [mporto.no.sapo.pt]: Entrance of Pólo Universitário station built in 2004.



Photo [mac.com/wkaemena]: Campo 24 de Agosto station built in 2004. During construction, a fountain from the 16th century has been discovered and excavated. It is now part of the concourse level of this station.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:07 AM | Permalink

Portland

MAX light rail in Portland, Oregon, USA, consists of three lines running on streets or on their own right of way. The operators have integrated one or more works of art in almost every station to promote transit usage and community pride [trimet.org].

Photo [trimet.org]: Illuminated metal trees designed by Portland artist Brian Borrello generate their own electricity from solar panels at Interstate/Rose Quarter station (opened 2004) on the Yellow Line.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 7:04 AM | Permalink

Paris

The distinctive, ornate, Art Nouveau metro entrances designed by Hector Guimard are a famous synonym for Paris's metro. Some are lost but 88 of them still exist [parisinconnu.com]. RATP gave reproductions to the subways in Chicago, Lisbon, Mexico City and to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and an original one to Montreal [metrodemontreal.com].

Photo: The entrance at Abbesses station, designed in 1910, is one of the larger ones.



The elegant metro stations in Paris are mostly column-free vaults and look similar throughout the system, which was inaugurated in 1900. Everything has been refurbished for the 100th anniversary.

Photo [Mike Nguyen]: Cité station on line 4.


An enjoyable architecture has also been implemented in Paris's newest RER stations as well as in the new driverless metro line 14 (Météor).

Photo: Magenta RER station with its interesting lighting.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 6:50 AM | Permalink

Nuremberg

Good overall architectural quality and some works of art in the stations [cityverkehr.de].

Photo: Schoppershof station with artistic, cobweb-like wire structures on the walls.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 6:48 AM | Permalink

New York

Since the subway system was inaugurated in 1904, stations have been decorated with ornamented station name plates and signs. These ceramic wall decors come in a great variety and are found in abundance in almost all underground stations [Stookey, see Reference].

Photo [nycsubway.org]: One of the name tablets from 1904 at 42nd St/Times Square station.



New York's subway system became somewhat neglected in the following decades, but recently, the 'Arts for Transit' program, founded in 1985, helped to remove the dreariness of the 1980s. The system now hosts more than 150 modern works of site-specific public art [tfaoi.com], [nycsubway.org], [mta.info], [steelcase.com (PDF)].

Photo [tomostudio.com]: Some of the many humourous bronze sculptures from 2002 by Tom Otterness in 14th Street station.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 6:45 AM | Permalink

Newcastle

The Tyne and Wear Metro has a very consistently designed guiding system and several works of art in the stations [tyneandwearmetro.co.uk], [newcastle.gov.uk].

Photo [rwa.org.uk]: Interactive sculpture 'Pulse' of the year 2000 by Andrew Stonyer in the concourse level of Four Lane Ends station: Vibrations from approaching trains cause the neon light to pulse.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 6:43 AM | Permalink

Naples

Line M1 has been turned into "Il Metro dell'Arte" as six stations have been upgraded with a lot of artworks [danpiz.net/napoli]. There are probably more stations to follow when the line is being extended.

Photo [metro.na.it]: Museo station.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 6:41 AM | Permalink

Munich

This metro system has been opened in 1972 and has spacious and clean stations. The earlier ones are rather minimalistic in design while the later ones got more interesting architectural features and some works of art [oliverbarchewitz.de].

Photo: Dülferstraße station from 1993 by Peter Lanz and Jürgen Rauch.



Photo: Westfriedhof station from 1998 with its simple concrete walls and its exceptional lighting concept by Ingo Maurer.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 6:37 AM | Permalink

Moscow

The metro opened in 1935. Many entrance buildings are just as architecturally spectacular as the stations below. Some stations are very deep and have been planned to serve as bunkers in case of war.

Photo [metro.ru]: Entrance building of Arbatskaya station on the first metro stretch from 1935.



Moscow's metro stations are a heritage of the socialist regime, originally intended to be 'palaces for the people'. With their marble-clad walls, chandelier lighting, and other precious interior, many indeed resemble palaces or cathedrals [metro.ru], [metrowalks.ru], [beeflowers].

Photo [cla.purdue.edu]: Central part of the platform of Komsomolskaya station built in 1952 on the circle line.


Many sculptures, reliefs and murals are found in the stations [metrosoyuza.net]. Besides Moscow, many metro stations in other cities of the former Soviet Union are of similar grandeur. However, the ones in Moscow are the most numerous and the most spectacular.

Photo: The platform of Kropotkinskaya station built in 1935.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 5:52 AM | Permalink

Montreal

More than 50 stations are decorated with over 100 works of public art, such as sculptures, stained glass and murals by noted artists from Québec. The city encourages this since 1967, one year after the opening of the system [stm.info].

Photo [Matthew McLauchlin, metrodemontreal.com]: Sculptures by Germain Bergeron at Monk station.



Some of Montreal's stations seem to be works of modern art themselves. Entrance buildings are often as well designed as the underground parts of the stations.

Photo [Matthew McLauchlin, metrodemontreal.com]: Acadie station (architects: Pierre Mercier, Pierre Boyer-Mercier, Patrice Poirier, artists: Jean Mercier, Michel Morelli, Météore Design).

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 5:47 AM | Permalink

Minsk

Like other metro systems in the former Soviet Union, the stations have been built using exquisite materials and a few are decorated with socialist-style reliefs.

Photo [Alexei Bobko, urbanrail.fotopic.net]: Traktorny Zavod station.



Several of the stations in Minsk seem to have a certain 'light-weight' feel that makes one forget that they are underground.

Photo [Alexei Bobko, urbanrail.fotopic.net]: Molodezhnaya station.

Posted by Beautiful subways from around the world at 2:30 AM | Permalink