Sydney Central Station - Report Example

Table of Contents Location and Importance………………………………………………………………………….2 Attractions…………………………………………………………………………………………4 Education and Universities……………………………………………………………4 Tourist Attractions…………………………………………………………………….5 Surrounding Roads…………………………………………………………………….6 Stations close to Central Station………………………………………………………7 Green Areas…………………………………………………………………………...8 Strengths…………………………………………………………………………………………..9 Weaknesses………………………………………………………………………………………10 Opportunities……………………………………………………………………………………..12 Threats……………………………………………………………………………………………13 The Main Design…………………………………………………………………………………14 Design Principles Used…………………………………………………………………………..14 Main Idea………………………………………………………………………………………...14 Green Area……………………………………………………………………………………….15 Shopping Centre………………………………………………………………………………….17 References………………………………………………………………………………………..20 Location and Importance: Central Station, located at the southern end of the Sydney CBD, is the largest railway station in Australia. Originally, the station called Sydney Station, and was first opened on September 26th, 1855. The people of the day simply referred to the station as Redfern. In 1874, a new station was built because the original station outgrew its use. This station contained two platforms and was made of brick. Once this station grew to 14 platforms, the current day structure was built just north of Devonshire Street. Currently, the station services almost every rail line on the CityRail network and close to 80,000 people make use of it each day. It is also the major terminus for inter-urban and interstate rail services. The operations of the Rail Corporation New South Wales are conducted centrally from the Central Station, which sits beside Railway Square and is officially located in Haymarket. In terms of nearby landmarks, the University of Technology Sydney at Broadway and Chinatown are within walking distance of the station. Central Station contains 25 platforms: 16 are use solely for travel within the city, and the seven remaining links are used for travel between Sydney and other states around Australia. In order to safeguard the station from the sea, Central Station is situated approximately 30 metres above sea level. Location of Central Station Image of Central Station Central Station is an important part of Sydney in that in maintains high intensity 24 hours a day. In addition, the station is home to Sydney’s public transport sector, as the two main bus terminals are located in close proximity and are open 24 hours a day also. The first bus station is situated on George Street, while the second bus station is located on Eddy Ave. Almost every bus in Sydney passes at least one of these stations on any given day. This is in addition to the presence of a light rail line known as Lilyfield, which extends 7.2 kilometres and allows easy transfer from trains to Chinatown, Darling Harbour, Pyrmont, and the inner Western Suburbs. All of these factors contribute to the Central Station area being of high density. The wide range of transport services and the possibility of transfer passengers between the different means of transport to reach their destinations make this area a bustling and thriving part of Sydney. Means of transport at Central Station Attractions: As the Central Station is located in heart of the Sydney CBD, it is situated in an area that contains multiple uses and many attractions that include the following: Education and Universities: The University of Technology Sydney has over 35,700 students and the University tower is only 800 metres away from the station. Also, there are many other university buildings around the station. This means that there is a need for many thousands of students and faculty to travel to and from the campus each day. On the other hand, the University of Sydney has around 49,000 students and is located at a distance of 1.8 kilometres from Central Station. This situation is slightly different because the Redfern Station is closer to the university than Central Station. Apart from these universities, there are also many other colleges and language institutes located in the centre of the city. Universities close to Central Station Tourist Attractions: There are many tourist attractions that are located close to Central Station. The most well-known attractions are as follows (distance away from Central Station in brackets): 1- City Market and Chinatown (700 metres) 2- Queen Victoria Building (1.2 kilometres) 3- Darling Harbour (1.5 kilometres) 4- St. Marys Cathedral (1.6 kilometres) 5- Rock Market (2.9 kilometres) 6- Sydney Opera House (3.1 kilometres) Surrounding Roads: There are many different roads around the station with high traffic density, especially in peak hours. The six main ones are: 1- George Street: This remains one of the busiest streets in the city centre. The road is about three kilometres long and connects many of the city’s important buildings and precincts. This street contains the most number of high rise buildings than any other Australian street. Also, among Australia’s 100 largest listed companies, more of them are located on this street than anywhere else in Australia. The street begins at the north end of Sydney at The Rocks, which is near the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and extends to the southern end of the city near Central Station and Ultimo, where it then leads onto Railway Square. From here, George Street turns west, leading to Parramatta Road in the western suburbs. 2- Elizabeth Street: Elizabeth Street runs south from Hunter Street and goes past Hyde Park, Central Station, and through the inner city suburbs of Surry Hills, Redfern, Waterloo, and Zetland. This street is roughly 8.6 kilometres long and contains a number of residential and commercial areas. 3- Cleveland Street: This is one of the busiest thoroughfares in all of Sydney. Cleveland Street runs from City Road in Chippendale and goes across the railway line between Central and Redfern stations. It then travels east through Surry Hills and Anzac Parade. The area between Crown and Bourke Streets contains many pubs and an increasing number of restaurants. Cleveland Street Intensive English High School is located on the corner of Cleveland and Chalmers Streets. 4- Regent Street: This is the link between Ultimo and Waterloo, and is one of the busiest streets at rush hour. It has the station building on the western side of Sydney Yard, close to Central Station and Railway Square. 5- Pitt Street: This is one of the major streets in central Sydney. The street runs through the entire city centre, from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo. However, today’s street is in two disjointed sections after a significant stretch of it was removed to make way for Sydney’s Central Railway Station. Pitt Street is well-known for the Pitt Street Mall, which runs from Market Street to King Street. 6- Broadway: This is a road in inner Sydney that constitutes the border between the suburbs of Ultimo (to the north) and Chippendale (to the south). Broadway is also an urban locality. When travelling along Broadway, the road changes to Parramatta Road at Victoria Park, just after the junction with City Road. Broadway and Parramatta Road and part of the Great Western Highway. Stations close to Central Station 1- The Town Hall station is the second largest station in Sydney and serves nearly 70,000 users per day. It also contains six platforms and is located 1.3 kilometres to the north of Central Station. 2- Redfern is the seventh largest station in terms of density, as it is used by nearly 42,000 users per day. The station contains 12 platforms and is located 1.8 kilometres to the south of Central Station. Stations near Central Station Green Areas: There are many green areas scattered across the city, but the two most well-known areas around Central Station are Prince Alfred Park and Belmore Park. Central Station is a landmark Strengths: 1- Central Station was built more than 160 years ago. As such, it is one of the most important historical areas in Sydney. The building, along with the 75 metre high clock tower, which was built in 1921, is the most important landmark in this area of Sydney. 2- The station has more than 80,000 users per day, and this is just the number of train users; there are large numbers of people who use either of the two bus stations near Central Station. This represents one of the most important economic resources of the area, especially since the movement of people comes and goes in all directions. Density of Users of Central Station 3- There are various public transport options in the area (train, bus, and tram), and all are in close proximity to the other. Also, there is a possibility of transfer between them—this increases the number of users of the area. As such, this area is one of the most important areas of the city because it serves most of the bus lines in and around Sydney. 4- The area around the station has a variety of uses, such as commercial, residential, education, and many public spaces. As such, this makes it an attractive area for most people. There are many workplaces, companies, universities, and housing estates nearby. As well as attractions such Chinatown and the City Market in close proximity, there is the possibility of easy access from the station. Weaknesses: 1- Difficulty of access to the station and mobility in areas around the station: There is difficulty in reaching the station and also to move around it. There are four main exits, which are as follows: George Street connects to the bus station as well as to the UTS buildings and the northern region. Addy Ave on the northern side against Belmore Park serves as the heading to the bus station near the park. Also, users can get to Chinatown and the City Market. There are also two entrances from the east; there is a small bus station that users can access from Elizabeth Street and Surry Hills. The first thing is that there is no entrance from the south. Also, there is the difficulty of movement between the areas around the station. It can be difficult to access from Surry Hills to Ultimo or Chippendale by the station. Additionally, there is an underground tunnel, but this tunnel serves only the northern side of the area. The train lines are a buffer zone between the areas surrounding the station. For example, if you wanted to go from Chalmers Street to George Street or Ultimo, you would need to rally around these lines because you could not go directly. Streets that surround Central Station 2- Lack of integration between the different means of transport: Although there are different public transport options, there is no integration between them. A new user of the station could get lost if they are unsure of where to go next. Moreover, there is no link between the areas of the bus stations and the various entrances to Central Station, although the north side of the park could be use to get from one place to the other. Diagram showing lack of communication around Central Station 3- Lack of clarity of the mental image of the region: The area around the station does not provide noticeable landmarks for people to feel as though they know where to go next. There isn’t any feature that different from other areas. The station is also considered one of the main interfaces for new visitors, whether from the airport or even other cities and states. A loss of identity in this area leads to a new visitor to getting a bad impression of the station. 4- One use for the station: Central Station is only used for transportation and lacks other uses. This leads to users search for other stations or other places to serve them better. The vast number of people in and around the station at peak times led to some homeless people hanging around the walls of the area because of the quiet and darkness at night. This is also something that users may not feel safe about because the chances of getting robbed are increased. Opportunities: 1- The area is ​​top rail line: This area located between Cleveland Street and Regent Street and contains ​​almost 10,000 hectares. This is a large area that has not yet been exploited to its full potential. As well as the area being a common place, it can exploit the link between Surry Hills and Ultimo, Haymarket, and Chinatown. Area above the train lines 2- Many users in the area: The station has more than 80,000 users per day, not to mention the number of bus users around the station. This represents a good economic area. If improving the quality of the area around the station can increase the number of users, it can lead to economic benefits around the station. It is clear also that most users of the station work or live near the station because there are some stations that are very close to the area. Threats: 1- It is not possible to change the size of the area because it is considered a historic district and cannot be touched because the station must remain as a landmark. 2- There must be an economic study of the area to see if any increase to revenues can be gained from these proposed changes. The Main Design: The focus of ​​the project will be concentrated on three main objectives: 1- Focus on the central station as a landmark 2- Access between areas around the station 3- Increase the diversity of activities Design Principles Used: 1- Diversity of use 2- Integration of the old with the new 3- Link 4- Clarity and beauty 5- Functional efficiency 6- Improve the quality of the public realm Main Idea: The design aims to cover the areas above the train lines. This is in addition to the establishment of paths between Cleveland Street, Regent Street, and Central Station, and the creation of green areas for pedestrians. This is the link between Siry Hills, Haymarket, and Ultimo through a number of tracks in this area. In addition to building a shopping centre in the area on top of the train platforms at Central Station, it can be accessed from within the centre of Central Station. A basic design of the proposed layout Green Area: The green area over the train lines contain about 10,000 hectares that link the surrounding areas between Central Station and contains spaces for pedestrians and bicycles. There are four main routes for pedestrians: 1- From Chalmers Street to Regent Street near the entrance to the station. It helps people get to the bus station, Chinatown, Haymarket, and the areas around it. 2- From the same street to Regent Street near the bus parking. It helps people to reach Chippendale as well as the new Centre Park area, which is on George Street. 3- From Cleveland Street to the same point near the bus parking. It helps with access to the same areas. 4- Chalmers Street to the station near the bus station at Belmore Park. These four tracks will facilitate access between all the different areas, as well as provide easy access to Central Station. Directions will be enhanced by putting different color lines on the ground to clarify the place of transport services; a user can follow these lines to get to what he wants to. Also, the green area can be used for some of the festivals and events such as the Sunday Market. This area will also serve the UTS, which lacks open spaces. Site of the design and area to be covered Shopping Centre: The shopping center will only contain one floor so as not to dominate the shape in the form of Central Station, which must be a landmark because construction of any high buildings around the station will cover the site completely and take away from it as a landmark. In addition, the colour of the building and roof form must be compatible with the historic design of Central Station so that there is integration in the design and it can also increase the image of the area—there will be no collision between modern and ancient designs. To avoid the high cost of lighting the platform after coverage, there will be slots at the top of shopping centre so that natural lighting can reach the platforms. This will reduces the cost of lighting during the day and can be designed in a way that makes the platforms look pleasing. Exterior of the Shopping Centre and Central Station Central Station as a landmark The shopping center can also contain major commercial activities such as supermarkets, fruits and vegetables shops, restaurants, and cafes. This will increase the multiplicity of activities and then people can go shopping and then catch the train without having to go out of the station. Moreover, this shopping centre will serve areas near the station. Proposed shops at the Shopping Centre Cross-section of the Shopping Centre vents and how natural light reaches the train platforms Slots that allow natural lighting to enter the train platforms (Britomart Station, Auckland) References http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/ http://www.uts.edu.au/ http://sydney.edu.au/ http://www.cityrail.info/ Read More