Location: Croydon, Surrey
Client: British Rail Board
Completion: December 1992
Cost: £4,300,000
The new station at East Croydon was designed for the Board of British Railways. This involved the total redevelopment of a station on a tight urban site. The new steel structure spans 55 metres above six railway tracks, which remained operational throughout the reconstructional. The project was carried out within strict budget constraints, whilst maintaining services to over 22 million passengers. The masted and predominantly glazed station station provides a gateway to Croydon. Flexibility is inherent in the design, which anticipates simple future internal reorganisations to meet the needs of the client and traveling public. The design of the station was facilitated by the pioneering use of three dimensional computer modelling.
The design of the new station creates a building which is an enjoyable public facility with carefully designed public spaces including a piazza, now known as Station Square, which houses a florist and a cafe. The station provides level access for all and is easy to use through its legibility.
Michael Stacey designed and developed the bespoke glazing systems to provide maximum transparency with a robustness appropriate for a transport interchange. The development of these innovative glazing systems included the load and weather testing of the wall glazing system to BS 5368 part 1-3. East Croydon was the first architectural project in Britain to utilise the benefits of stainless steel castings.
The building provides a sophisticated shelter for the travelling public. Passive solar energy techniques are used, and daytime lighting is minimised by the building’s transparent envelope. This also aids the smooth flow of people through the space as they move between trains, buses, cars, taxis and bicycles. Originally designed to serve 14 million passengers a year, annual usage had risen to 25 million by 2000.
East Croydon Station contributes ‘A soothing uncluttered elegance to a remarkably jumbled part of Croydon.’
The Architectural Review, December 1989
Awards: Civic Trust Award, RIBA Regional Award, Croydon Design Award, Downlands Award
