'The Lantern' Metro Station and Public Arena / ShaGa Studio + MaDG

Courtesy of ShaGa Studio w/Doro Dietz Arch.Visualization

ShaGa studio, in collaboration with MaDG, shared with us their proposal for The Lantern, a new metro station and public arena for the future extension of Metro Line 1 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Shortlisted from over 130 entries in the Station20 competition, their design fluctuates between scales, creating a strong iconic image towards a southern public plaza while providing a soft landscape link as a northern station entrance. More images and architects’ description after the break.

Nestling along the future extension of Metro line 1 and at the local crossroad of Druhzba I and II residential areas, ‘The Lantern’ transportation hub weaves together the district’s infrastructure needs with a series of unique local open public spaces. Through an emphasis on the natural lighting conditions below ground and the integration of lighting features (back-lit LED ‘mood walls’) in the station interior and facade, the design enhances visitors orientation, visual connections and an optimized orchestration of public flow, seamlessly connecting the immediate urban context to the station’s concourse level and further to the train platforms.

Courtesy of ShaGa Studio w/Doro Dietz Arch.Visualization

Bifurcating the initial road layout on site, the design transforms the fragmented pedestrian strip along the road into a coherent central event space. Through the articulation of a multi-leveled ‘ground condition’ not only do specific public atmospheres emerge [a sunken garden, Slopping public roof, public plaza] but also new opportunities to ‘perforate’ the landscape arise, bringing in natural light and natural ventilation to the platform levels and achieving optimized daylight conditions and seamless accessibility from the landscape to the concourse space.

Courtesy of ShaGa Studio w/Doro Dietz Arch.Visualization

We envision the station as a true time based public space, a place which simultaneously acts as dynamic transportation node within the city’s infrastructural system and a public arena, changing through day and night and made for the comfort and pleasure of its local inhabitants.

Courtesy of ShaGa Studio w/Doro Dietz Arch.Visualization

Architects: ShaGa Studio + MaDG Location: Sofia, Bulgaria Team: ShaGa Studio – Gary Freedman, Philip Daniel; MaDG – Margherita Del Grosso

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Cite: Alison Furuto. "'The Lantern' Metro Station and Public Arena / ShaGa Studio + MaDG" 15 Feb 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/208039/the-lantern-metro-station-and-public-arena-shaga-studio-madg> ISSN 0719-8884

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