LOULWA ALFAILAKAWI
Project: Final Project - Bus Station
Course: Design II Studio - Kuwait University
Instructors: Dr. Saud Alkhaled - Arch. Abdulaziz Alkanderi
Applications: Rhino - Illustrator - Photoshop
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URBAN OASIS
THE LUNGS OF THE CITY
Existing site condition
Site
The site is located at Fahad Al-Salem Street, one of Kuwait City's crucial roads. The zone possesses a high density of traffic, considering it is an active commercial area, situated between busy roads. The site, functioning as a bus station, is an essential intersetction and attraction point leading to important landmarks and prime areas in Kuwait City.
Prominent problems were found on site such as: safety issues, poor planning, negligance, jaywalking, heat pollution and noise pollution.
Concept
Urban Oasis, the lungs of the city, is a reaction to the pre-existing pedestrian and bus circulations on site. Responding to the site through designing an underground bus station - network of services - integrated within a landscaped open public space (plaza) and a waiting hall highlighting and framing the importance of public transportation.
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The primary goal in the design process was to investigate the idea of balance within the solid vs the void, and the positive vs the negative, all in respect to human mobility, experience, convenience and proximity, using form to navigate the users towards the center of the station.
Site
Pedestrian access points and bus path
Horizontal reaction to pedestrian and bus circulation
Vertical reaction - sunken ground
Bus and pedestrian intersection point
Expand
Extrude
Parti
Site Plan
Underground Floor Plan
Ground Floor Plan
North Elevation
East Elevation
South Elevation
West Elevation
The UO focuses on rationally utilizing spaces for the sake of human experiences and convenience. The design process was focused on respecting the site context, thus not disrupting the site conditions. Due to the high density of buses, bus stations produce high amounts of CO2 emissions. It was a crucial design decision to increase the carbon sink with landscaping and afforestation, while also utilizing vegetation as shading devices throughout the open space.
Section C-C
Section D-D
Section B-B
Drapping integrating the super-structure with the underground network.
Super-structure - waiting hall.
Street view - showcasing the super-structure framing the bus.
