The Building Design Partnership (BDP) has been selected to design 25 stations for the north-west route of London’s Crossrail project.
The cost of the development of the stations is estimated at £200m.
Initial design work will focus on stations on two line options, linking central London to Watford or Aylesbury, because the route has not been finalised.
Crossrail, a 50/50 joint venture between Transport for London (TfL) and the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), expects the route to be confirmed in the autumn.
BDP architect and urban design director Tony McGuirk said: “The two line options have counterpoint design challenges for us. The line to Watford has stations that will form beacons of regeneration to locations from Willesden to Watford junction.
“The Aylesbury line offers the challenge of integrating a 21st century rail system into a rural and domestic-scale environment.
“It’s all a very exciting prospect for us and we are keen to continue the feel of the central stations and create designs that are very human in feel and closely linked to the comfort and experience of the passenger.”
BDP has already designed Crossrail’s four central London stations, 30 metres below street level at Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street.
The design of the stations will have to accommodate the Crossrail trains, which at 300 metres long are twice the length of normal tube trains.
A Parliamentary Bill on the Crossrail scheme is expected to be drafted in time for the next Parliamentary session.
As well as the design, route and construction of the scheme, the Bill will include the method of financing, which could include raising a land levy or pooling planning gain contributions.
EGi News 10/06/02
