Analysis of Waterloo International - Essay Example

History and Theory 2 - “History arrested in Stone buildings in context ANALYSIS OF WATERLOO INTERNATIONAL How do architects respond to and work within the society around them? CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Design and Context: Background 3. The Context of Waterloo international: Using context to understand a building 4. Change in Context after completion 5. Bibliography 6. Endnotes INTRODUCTION The Waterloo Eurostar International terminal (Waterloo, London) was completed in 1997. In order to effectively analyse this building, there are certain factors to be taken into consideration: the design of the building, its context and how this impacts on the design, the role of the architect and the subsequent use of the building.  The Terminal is located at Waterloo Station on Londons South Bank. DESIGN AND CONTEXT: Background The specifications for this building were: a railway terminal for Eurostar at Waterloo Station (one of London’s most famous landmarks and the busiest station in England)i. Eurostar is a company that operates high speed trains from London to Paris and Brussels via the Eurotunnel (a chunnel which a tunnel under the water). Sir Nicolas Grimshaw and the engineering firm Hunt were bought on board. In Britain and America, Grimshaw has interpreted historical and natural legacies using the symbols of technological advancement to create unique and well-designed buildings. This proved to the contractors that he was aware that context was important to the form a building took on. Everything, from the materials –what the materials that came from the area were- or what the buildings around were constructed of-in other words what the landscape or the cityscape looked like, was taken into account. These factors should always inform the architect-he or she could then choose to imitate the surroundings, make a statement and stand out or amalgamate historical detail like classical arches, ornamentation and domes and features from the age of technology to match a certain are (a more Post-Modern approach). Post-Modern High-Techii is the style that could be ascribed to much of Sir Nicholas Grimshaw’s work and his interpretation of the brief for the terminal. He has alluded to the domes of cathedrals and great Victorian railway halls, but his dome is halved and lengthened. The space is like a shed or a hanger-he has re-interpreted the dome. Certain original features of the Waterloo Station had to be removed- as they were heralds to past owners and enterprise. There was no mistaking this building had to look like it had taken off from the confines of Waterloo to represent Europe’s new global direction as well as global economic enterprises. Eurostar is an international operation under private ownership. This modern wing or offshoot of Waterloo Station had to retain the link to the old style travel but be able to project the look of the future. The fact that the building was finished on time and within budget and that it fulfilled all of the requirements of the brief are indications that the architect was aware he was delivering a service to the public: a faster, easier and better way to connect to other parts of the world- namely Brussels and Paris from the capital London. The terminal had to be glamorous yet simple in order to encapsulate the profile of EU and the three capitals-as well as linking England back again to the rest of Europe. The dome is therefore a covered bridge. The engineering requirements for a building of this nature will determine the underlying structure of it–in order to accommodate the high speed trains and the rails as well as the weight of the people on board, components like girders and exo-skeletons would have to be constructed from incredibly strong but lightweight material. The supporting structures would have to be cleverly engineered to appear simple, but their capabilities in terms of support and longevity and safety would be paramount, because this terminal would be required to transport millions of people. The technical considerations that are linked to the function of the structure will determine much of its design. There are the supports- how much weight does this building need to carry? What kind of system or underlying structure would be needed? Other considerations would be the casings for the power supply as the power supply is integral to integral to the building’s function: electricity and a back- up supply would be needed to provide the terminal with enough energy for a series of trains as well as lighting and power for any of the shops, restaurants, platforms and information boards. The supply would have to be well protected. Then the architect would have to consider the platforms, the waiting spaces and for passengers boarding and waiting as well as the links and access from surrounds and from Waterloo Station. There are also certain specifications for the height of platform to train door ratio and other specifications applying to rail travel. Because of the high density use over certain peak times, safety would be important-exits and ventilation. General amenities would have to be approved by health and safety officials as well as being up to date, clean and accessible. Access would have to be wheel- chair friendly and cater for various disabilities such as sight impaired-thus would affect signage and information as well as access points support rails and extra rest rooms. These would be the practical considerations and no doubt occupy the architect with many engineering conundrums to work out in terms of cost- effectiveness, balance and feasibility. No doubt, many of the working structural ideas to come out of this planning would affect the overall appearance as the bones of a structure of these proportions would be apparent no matter how many extras encased it. DESIGN The architect, the engineers and the client wanted to keep it simple-the structures needed to assembled quickly and create as little disruption to the incredibly high volume of people using the station and surrounds, being in a metropolitan area, transport and space were limited. Separate elements such as the overlapping glass panels of the dome were created to be assembled at the site, ‘it was designed to use standard-size glass sheets, which overlap and use a concertina joint to accommodate the dual curve of the roof-arch and the track. The roof accounted for 10 percent of the overall budget’. (www.galinsky.com) Photo, exterior overview Photo, exterior overview Photo, exterior overview Close up of roof Grimshaw has acknowledged the aid of engineering and modern technology in the High-Tech design elements apparent in this building. The cladding and technology are major design features such the strip lighting. Image of platform, train and interior view of roof The materials he used (steel and glass) are super lightweight, super -strength alloys, wonders of modern engineering and of course technology. This building is a masterpiece of CAD design. CAD has enabled the architects of our time to stretch the technical innovations of the great wonders of Rome and Egypt-the domes and the pyramids- and tweak them to reflect the diverse polyglot society that exists in big cities now. This trend was cemented in early Modernism, Business has modified its customs it bears a heavy responsibility today: cost, time, solidity of the work. Engineers in numbers fill its offices, make their calculation, practice the laws of economy to an intensive degree and seek to harmonise two opposed factors: cheapness and good work…construction has discovered its methods which in themselves mean a liberation that earlier ages had sought in vain. Everything is possible by calculation and invention, provided that there is at our disposal a sufficiently perfected body of tools, and this does exist. Concrete and steel have entirely transformed the constructional organization. ( Le Corbusier, 1925) The glass roof is a 400m curved half -dome. The terminal has accommodation and five new tracks from the side of the existing station. Terminate in this building. It has a re-enforced concrete box for underground parking-this is also the foundation over the existing Underground. The Eurostar platforms are supported by a two story viaduct. The departure lounge is underground and an escalator takes passengers up to the platforms.iii The roof is the signature feature of this building and architectural experts have made detailed references to it, with comparisons to the developments in the Renaissance and to other renowned roofs and domes iv Brunelleschis brickwork masonry envelope has an "improved" cross-section and consists of inner and outer skins linked by diaphragms. An ingenious pattern of brickwork bonding was adopted to ensure satisfactory composite action. Given the span involved, and certain other constraints such as that the dome had to sit on an octagonal drum, it is difficult to imagine any other form that would have been feasible structurally. This memorable work of architecture is therefore an example of genuine "high tech." The overall form was determined from structural considerations and not compromised for visual effect. The opposing directions of curvature give the structure the ability to tolerate reversals of load (necessary to resist wind loading without gross distortion in shape) and the prestressing enables minimization of the movement which occurs under variations in load (necessary to prevent damage to the roof cladding). excerpted from Structure and The elimination of much of the temporary formwork and the ease with which the ferro-cement could be molded into "improved" cross-sections of complex geometry allowed long-span structures of great sophistication to be built relatively economically. The final dome or vault consisted of a composite structure of in-situ concrete and ferro-cement formwork. (McDonald, Angus 2001) Exterior view Waterloo International has five platforms, numbered 20 to 24, one (20) taken from the mainline station, and four new ones, all covered by a new 400 m long glass and steel vault of 37 arches forming a prismatic structure, conceived by Anthony Hunt Associates. A two-level reception area fronts the main station concourse. The first Eurostar departure, on 14 November 1994, was formed of Eurostar units 373004/373003 and the last service left at 18.12 GMT on 13 November 2007 for Brussels. From the next day Eurostar services used their new London terminus of St Pancras International (Wickipedia) All the door heights and platform heights and widths adhere to the codes that are standard to rail travel-there were adjustments because of the new type of train used by Eurostar, but the ratios are ergonomically sound.v All of the lines in thus building suggest curved movement-speed and efficiency which fits in with the image Eurostar wanted to create. It is a feature of station design in the UK and railways designed to UK standards, that platforms are built to the height of the train floor, or close to it.  This is now also adopted as standard on metro railways throughout the world.  The rest of the world has generally had a train/station interface designed on the basis that the passengers step up into the train from a low level platform or even straight off the ground.  To this end, passenger vehicles were usually designed with end entrances, having the floor narrower then the rest of the car body so that a set of steps could be fitted to either side of the entrance gangway.  However, high platforms are now seen in many countries around the world. THE CONTEXT OF WATERLOO INTERNATIONAL: Understanding a building Waterloo station is the busiest station in England and competes only with Garre De Lyon as the busiest in Europe. It has added historical significance in that The Victoria Arch is an architectural embellishment surrounding a doorway, laurels and figures are intertwined in concrete relief is a memorial to company staff who were killed during the two world wars. Damage to the station in World War II required considerable repair but entailed no significant changes of layout. This is a very, very famous station. The cultural heritage of this station is a testament to its place in the hearts and minds of British national identity. Patriotism is married to the romance of great battles, swashbuckling generals and the station itself It was built in 18 and added to in the second world war it ended up with extra unnamed platforms and obscure entrances, making it possible to get terribly lost-hence the numerous songs performed by the Kinks, Pet Shop boys, David Bowie and Lilly Allen to name a few who all sing of battles lost and departures. The station had slowly become a hub and in the 90’s was comprised of 20 platforms. The addition of a terminal, Waterloo International, links the old with new. Ownership of the original station underwent a succession, broadly typical of many British stations. Under the 1923 Grouping it passed to the Southern Railway (SR), then in the 1948 nationalisation to British Railways. Following the privatisation of British Rail, ownership and management passed to Railtrack in April 1994 and finally in 2002 to Network Rail. Platforms 20 and 21 were lost to the Waterloo International railway station site, which from November 1994 to November 2007 was the London terminus of Eurostar international trains to Paris and Brussels. Construction necessitated the removal of decorative masonry forming two arches from that side of the station, bearing the legend "Southern Railway". (Wickipedia) Grimshaw understood this premise perfectly and combined it with the metaphors that characterise many a Post –Modern building, for although it is an outstanding example of High- Tech, New- Millennium architecture it also references classic architecture- the high vaults are reminiscent of the Crystal Palace from the 1800 Great Exhibition, when London had showcased all the wonders of the modern world following the Industrial Revolution.. The concept of engineer as architect is also important to consider when analyzing this building-for the link between London and Paris on the London side would do well to pay homage to the exquisite engineering that characterizes much of France’s modern buildings and structures, from the Eiffel tower to the Cube The irony of the Waterloo Station being chosen to house the link between these cities has not been lost on anyone-when Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo, the English retained a special place in their hearts for the name place and subsequent station and is a symbol for the ancient feud between the two European powerhouses. The station has become an iconic landmark encapsulated in famous films and songs and very much part of the national identity. The International terminal, on the other hand, would have to be symbolic of a new understanding based on the EU philosophy of a united Europe. The look would be international- the new born of the old, paying homage, not to individuals and narrow cultural identities but rather to technology, speed and man’s ability to forge through seeming impossible obstacles-to send a train under the water - a revolutionary concept. Eurostar is an international firm and so the funding would be from private enterprise and not state-this is often a deciding factor for many design considerations because the costs would be curtailed by accountants and there would be no room for extras such as museums that were not going to generate income. The design of the trains themselves and Eurostar’s signage and colours would have to be part of the buildings design and. Railway stations and especially terminals are etched in the collective conscious as deeply romantic, places of leave takings and arrivals. The concepts of speed, of foreign travel, of London itself and essentially the aesthetics surrounding trains and rail travel would all have to be married to the underlying structure –so that the building itself would be useful and beautiful. It is safe to say that the context of this building would have to inform its form and function. One needs to ask how Grimshaw has interpreted this brief and to what success. Because one is able to look on this from a perspective of 13 years later, one can also judge the building in terms of sustainability as well as its importance in the registry of London’s great buildings. If we challenge the past, we shall learn that ‘styles’ no longer exist for us, that a style belonging to our own period has come about; and there has been a revolution. Our minds have consciously or unconsciously apprehended these events and new needs have arisen, the machinery of society, profoundly out of gear oscillates between an amelioration of historical importance and a catastrophe. (Le Corbusier, 1925) This is an image of the exterior rail and the end of part of the ridged roof of the International terminal. Sir Anthony Grimshaw and Hunt Associates incorporated this lore and these design elements and produced a unique, beautiful and impressive building. It is large because it has to be, in certain lights the steel takes on a bronze glow and curves and ridges could be Byzantium, and then the light changes and the building ‘s steel and glass glint, one is transported back to London 2010 and looking at a fantastic example of ultra modern architecture. CHANGE IN CONTEXT AFTER COMPLETION The International terminal at Waterloo opened in 1994 under Eurostar’s banner. The terminal itself has had nearly 100 million pairs of feet through its concourses, millions using the restrooms, parking facilities, hotel and boarding areas. The terminal has stood up well to the demands placed on it and it is rather the route through the chunnel which has caused most problems for the operation of the trains. The high speed travel option has been dogged by bad press and Nicholas Sarkozy has openly citicised the company for lack of adequate preparation in case of emergencies. Because of extreme weather conditions the chunnelvi has been forced to close on many occasions-on one occasion passengers were stuck for hours-the ensuing panic almost crippled Eurostar. What began as a revolution in travel and design seemed, in 2007, to be a doomed operation and when Eurostar moved its entire operation to St Pancreasvii, Grimshaw’s lovely soaring dome looked set to become yet another Modernist white elephant. So far the building has been a venue for a performance of the Kink’s song, Waterloo Sunset, by Lily Allen (a fitting tribute), a major art exhibition and a Topshop fashion show during London Fashion Week, the models strutted down the platform showcasing the latest in British street style. These events show that Grimshaw’s addition to Waterloo station has been accepted by the Brits and looks set to be well utalised in the future. Some critics feel nothing is happeningviii, but with the addition of two new tracks it will re-open this year. Waterloo International lives again. A spatial organization does not become a place before it is set to work by means of a built form…To set to work means to make a way of being between earth and sky manifest. Thus a building may stand up in space, stretch out or enclose a space as it opens up in various ways…and a dome is a form which recalls the immaterial vaulting sky over solid earth. (Norberg-Shultz, C 1985) News BIBLIOGRAPHY Books, Journals and CD Roms Le Corbusier Towards a New Architecture, 1925 The Architectural Press, London) MacDonald, Angus,J “Long-Span Structures", Architecture Week No. 139, 2003.0326, pB1.2. MacDonald, Angus J.. Structure and Architecture. Architectural Press, 2001. ISBN 0750647930. The Architectural Review, September 1993. Matthews,Kevin. The Great Buildings Collection on CD-ROM. Artifice, 2001. ISBN 0-9667098-4-5 Norberg-Shultz, C The Concept of Dwelling On the way to figurative architecture 1984 Electra Editrice, Milan 127, 128 Szalapaj, Peter "Parametric Propagation of Form", ArchitectureWeek No. 67, 2001.0919, pT1.1. Websites www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/17/eveningnews Published: December 22, 2009 www.smh.com.au/travel/smart-move-qantas-tag ... www.wickipedia.com www.Galinsky.com www.blog-Dean-10/08/2009/15:1 Images Photographs Jay Berman 1998 (updated 2006) ENDNOTES Read More