This document offers high level guidance aimed at the Sponsors, designers and planners of new railway station infrastructure in the UK. It outlines not just the factors determining physical space within stations but other components that need to be considered to achieve world class station design.
Reinvigorating past guidance
Network Rail’s previous guidance documents were in a range of formats, often focusing too much on technical delivery and legislation without recognising the design ambitions. Any new guidance needed to balance this, delivering a document that is both informative and engaging. As this was a document that would not just be used internally within Network Rail’s technical teams but also externally by architects, engineers and contractors it needed to be intuitive to navigate, helping everyone easily find the information they need.
Collaborative development
We worked with user groups to test layouts and formats, resulting in a document where it is easy to find the information you need, provides the right level of information at the source, and tells you where you can find out more.
We understood the need to combine the guideline and legalisation with best practice examples, to illustrate the approaches that could be taken, while providing inspiration for design and project teams. The examples of best practice were taken from a range of station scales resulting in a format and graphic style that makes the document engaging to use for all. The document draws on Network Rail’s Principles of Good Design, and sets out their aims for sustainability and innovation, setting ambitions for the future.
The document covers environmental targets and ambitions, alongside examples of good practice. It prioritises sustainable methods of transport, such as improving cycling facilities at stations, and sets out social sustainability and biodiversity projects, such as the work of the Bee Friendly Trust at stations.
The Station Design Guidance Manual is one of nine we have developed for Network Rail. They act as a common frame of reference for all parties involved in the design and operation of Network Rail’s transport infrastructure.
From the great railway ‘cathedrals’ of the Victorian era, to the ground-breaking corporate identity work that gave us the ‘double arrow’ logo the railway system in Great Britain has a rich design heritage. At this point in history we reassert these values and seek to create a new legacy of good station design.
Exhibition of the new Design Guidance suite at Euston station, created by Muslim Women in Architecture (MWA) as part of the LFA and Network Rail Curating Concourses competition.