Imposing Subway Stations

King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station

This project commissioned in 2010 and currently under construction is one of the unbuilt projects left by Zaha Hadid before her passing. The station is part of the masterplan of the new King Abdullah Financial District which includes a series of towers and commerce buildings.

The interior layout of the building will consist of a series of interlaced platforms and pre-set pedestrian pathways on different levels devised to optimize both circulation and the effective use of space; these platforms and pathways will create a visually rich environment inside the station, enough to match the project's equally vibrant facade. The perforated portion of the facade mimics the interior lattice of platforms and helps to reduce any unwanted solar heat gain.

Twin Stations

These twin subway stations located next to the bank of River Danube are currently the most important in Budapest and are part of a subway line that connects South-Buda and Pest, the latter being the city's heart. This subway line, the M4, was first envisioned in the late 80's as a part of a series of subway lines that was never fully completed.

Since the original project didn't translate well into the 21st century, the previous masterplan was taken only as a guideline to create a subway line that would reflect the city as it is now: eclectic, a mix of the old and the new. The final project takes a step further into untying itself from the original 80's plan by fully embracing what 21st century engineering is capable of doing and showing it with a bold structure reminiscent of Piranesi's carceri.

Rotterdam Central Station

This station connects subway lines, high-speed trains and buses making it the most important station in the Netherlands. 110,000 passengers go through it on an average day and the number will only increase in the future due to a couple of railway projects that might augment the influx to 323,000 passengers per day in 2025. The station's privileged position makes it a busy destination within Europe; destinations such as Paris, London and Brussels are a mere two and a half hours away.

The project has two different public faces: a simple glass facade on the side that faces a more conservative part of the city in order to blend in and a bold stainless steel-clad facade that invites the users in and creates a statement.

Taipei MRT Daan Park Station

This subway station designed to be an attraction point in the city seamlessly blends in with its location- one of Taipei's most important green spaces. The project acts as an order-bringer element inside the urban park, framing it and acting as a foyer; the park has a similar effect on the station, making it stand out from the rest of the city. In addition, the station was designed to give the travelers a breather after getting off the wagons- as they get out, they're greeted by natural sunlight and nature.

Guangzhou South Railway Station

This station, one of the largest in the world, is part of a hub that includes the Beijing South Railway Station, also designed by TFP Farrells- together they connect Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Wuhan and Guangzhou. In order to accommodate the influx of people, trains and subways, the architects opted for a vertical internal organization separated in different storeys, with the subway platforms located in the lowermost levels. The station has a series of atriums that connect different sections of the project.

The project's characteristic skylight provides it with natural light, and it gets thinner as it moves away from the hall to make the path to other areas evident. The train platforms are also illuminated by a series of thin skylights, which provide natural light minus the effects of overheating that come with larger openings.

Beijing South Station

This station was made for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and houses not only 4 subway platforms but also high-speed trains, express trains and inter-city trains, making it one of the most important stations in the region. Its massive proportions presented a programmatic challenge which was addressed by designing simple circulations under a clean architectural structure, all heavily user-oriented to make the traveler's experience fluid and faster. The project's heavy influx, location and oval shape allowed the station to become both a symbolic and literal gate to the city.