SYDNEY TRAINS Sydney metro station wins global design award, immediately gets replaced by bus
BY: Kartya Vucetic
Sydney has officially entered its “hot girl metro station” era, with Gadigal Station being named one of the World’s Most Beautiful Passenger Stations by the Prix Versailles. Clearly, an award that apparently judges architecture over practicality.
Opened in August last year, the glittering new metro hub was praised for its “innovative design, sustainable architecture and seamless functionality”. Which is impressive, considering it’s been open roughly five minutes and already spends most weekends on scheduled maintenance.
Located 25 metres below Sydney’s CBD, Gadigal Station features sandstone walls, futuristic aluminium panels, and a tile artwork described as “Looney Tunes-inspired”. Because nothing says “modern transport hub” quite like Wile E. Coyote energy.
Who on earth called this Looney Tunes | Image: COX Architecture
COX Architecture and Foster + Partners led the design, incorporating six monumental columns, 200 metres of spotted-gum leaning rails, and a general aura of “we spent too much money and won’t admit it”.
The station’s win comes as a pleasant surprise to regular commuters, who’ve mostly experienced the award-winning structure through the window of a replacement bus.
This pink bus will be the death of me
“I’ve never actually been inside”, said Emma, 27. “But I hear the sandstone looks amazing when you’re stuck waiting for the Tallawong line”.
Officials estimate Gadigal currently welcomes around 15,700 passengers per day, a figure widely believed to now include tourists taking photos of the escalators.
Don’t expect to see this platform on a weekend anytime soon | Image: COX Architecture
In the meantime, Sydney commuters are invited to celebrate the global achievement by standing in the sun at Central’s temporary bus interchange for 40 minutes, pondering the majesty of modern design.
