The design of Bayfront MRT | By Design - video Dailymotion

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In this episode of By Design, we explore the challenges of designing Bayfront MRT station with a 25-year veteran of MRT projects. Gruff shares insights on the station's unique features, such as intuitive wayfinding and integrating tourist-friendly design elements to serve visitors unfamiliar with the MRT system. We also learn about how MRT stations are strategically placed to integrate with various modes of transport, supporting seamless connectivity within Singapore's urban landscape.  Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video

Transcript

00:00Do you need to clap?

00:01Clap for me.

00:02One more time please.

00:10Hi Griff, thank you so much for taking the time to speak to me today.

00:15I'm from North Wales, originally been in Singapore nearly 27 years,

00:18and been involved with MRT projects specifically in the Singapore context for nearly 25 years now.

00:25My first project was Dobi Got, and that was quite an interesting challenge.

00:28And since then, I've been involved heavily in the Marina Bay area.

00:31Yeah, let's talk about the Marina Bay area.

00:33I'm especially curious about the Bayfront station because that's fascinating.

00:37It's got so many different exits, you know, it connects to one of the landmarks in Singapore,

00:41which is Marina Bay Sands.

00:43What was the process of creating the MRT station,

00:46from design, from feasibility studies, all the way till completion?

00:50We won the project in early 2006, pre-IR1 as we call it.

00:55Right, so you didn't even know that there was an IR there.

00:57We knew the IR was coming along, but it hadn't been awarded at that time.

01:01I think it's part and parcel of the design process with all MRT stations,

01:04that the station has a lifespan beyond many developments that are generally in their immediate hinterland.

01:10So you have to have a vision beyond just what's there today.

01:14You need to look at 50, even 100 years hence, in terms of providing flexibility.

01:18So in this case specifically for Bayfront,

01:20we looked at connecting directly into the Marina Bay Sands project as we saw it being evolved.

01:26This is the sort of design process we follow.

01:29You look at intuitive wayfinding to make it as easy as possible for the commuter,

01:34the user of the station, the user of the system to navigate their way through the station.

01:39So in the case of Bayfront Station, you arrive at platform,

01:42the escalators present themselves very direct to you,

01:45straight up through the ferry line, and you arrive in that node.

01:48And therefore your decision process is very easy.

01:50And was it more challenging designing for an area like Marina Bay,

01:53because it connects to so many tourist destinations,

01:55and these people are unlikely to be familiar with the MRT system?

01:58Exactly. That's the biggest challenge.

02:00If you're a commuter and your destination or origin is your home or workplace or work,

02:05you do that journey every day and you know exactly how to get through the system as quickly as possible.

02:09When we deal with visitors from overseas, obviously they're a bit lost.

02:13So therefore intuitive wayfinding, as we call it, is key.

02:16Making it as simple and straightforward as possible for them to find their way from the platform

02:20and then through to the destination or whichever attraction they're visiting.

02:23So what kind of decisions did you have to make in the case of Bayfront MRT to make that easier?

02:28Well, in terms of the station design itself,

02:30next time you're down there and you come up the escalators,

02:33you come through the ferry line, you're into that little drum space, which is that decision point.

02:37Just stop for a second and have a look up.

02:39We put a little small skylight in the centre of that,

02:42and it's just a little glimpse straight up and you see the sky park.

02:45So it helps you give you a sense of orientation where you are, where you're headed.

02:49So little things like that, little gems like that,

02:51we always try to weave them into the design narrative of the station.

02:55Tell me about the design elements specifically for Bayfront station.

02:58I think the challenge that we faced right from the get-go with Bayfront was

03:02we knew that there would be some significant developments in its immediate hinterland.

03:06And with that significant population of people, we had to get safely in and out of the station.

03:11So the very first little humble thumbnail sketch we drew,

03:15you have the two platforms because it's an interchange station.

03:18And therefore, intuitive wayfinding, so escalators on both ends,

03:22and two nodes, one on the north and one on the south of the station.

03:25And that was it. That was the little concept sketch that we developed.

03:28And from there, you can then move into those developments.

03:31So really, it's just distilling it down to the most simple elemental sketch that defines that station.

03:38So when you think about designing a station or even where to place the station,

03:42do you have to think about all these different modes of transport and how they integrate?

03:45Absolutely. So we look at people doing that first mile, last mile journey from their home to the MRT station.

03:51And we look at providing those facilities so that when you come from your home to the entrance,

03:56you can drop your bike there and then obviously continue on foot into the station and then onward with your journey.

04:01So yes, it's a significant part. It's not just the station box.

04:04We look at a hinterland of about 400 meters radius around the station

04:09and how we plug the station as successfully and as comprehensively as possible into its community.

04:15Yeah, wow.

04:16Thank you, Griff. Thank you for the long interview.

04:19Please feel free to take off your jacket.

04:22So you have lots of experience guessing what will happen 100 years in the future.

04:26What will happen to me in 50 years? Tell me. I want to know.

The design of Bayfront MRT | By Design

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