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The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) tapped a group of industrial design students at the Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) to assist with a redesign project for new bus shelters.
The new shelters are being designed for placement within the Downtown area, and designers were asked to use innovative and sustainable materials to make their projects “green” and create designs that would compliment the urban environment in an attractive way.
“We plan to make a final choice of design by the end of August,” said Beth Berkemer, Public and Media Relations Manager at COTA. “We hope to have these new shelters installed by the end of 2012.”
The designs are currently on display and can be viewed by the public through Friday, Aug. 12, in the Franklin County Courthouse Lobby at 373 S. High Street, the Rhodes State Office Tower Lobby at 30 E. Broad Street and the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation William Green Building Lobby at 30 W. Spring Street. You can also provide feedback online at www.cota.com/contact-us.
The three designs are also visible below. Which do you think would look best Downtown?
Finalist A
Finalist A. It looks as though there is a covered area to the right that is not enclosed. I’ve noticed a lot of people smoke inside the current shelters eventhough it is not permitted. This new shelter design would allow them to be shielded from rain or snow while not bothering others with their smoking.
Finalist A.
I like the raise seating in finalist A, but I’m not a fan of the roof. Maybe the roof of Finalist C, but the benches of Finalist A.
Plus, Finalist A is at the Commons. ;]
A. looks like the best and i also like the covered area for people to stand
I like A because it seems to have some kind of lean bar in addition to the seating. It’s not easy to tell how the drainage coming from the roof would work, but I assume that can be worked out. As for the smoking, I don’t think separating people by a glass wall will help if they’re still within 10 feet of each other.
I am not a fan of Finalist A’s curving roof structure for the sake of drainage. It also feels just a little too ‘heavy’ to me. Finalist B is too typical. I like the lightness conveyed by Finalist C.
Yeah, Finalist A is my fav as well.
Like “A” as long as the long bench is broken up a bit (armrests or something) to prevent sleeping.
Dudely Llama – I doubt having an outside area will help move the inconsiderate smokers out of the bus shelters, which is unfortunate.
cc – I think the current benches are long and flat, and I’ve rarely seen people sleeping on them. Perhaps it happens more at night, but I’ve not seen much of it during the day (where I commonly travel by bus anyway).
From a visual design perspective, I think I like A the most, but I’d like to know more about the materials being used, costs, etc. The one thing I’d really love to see implemented at new Downtown bus shelters is some LED signage that displays real time bus info. “Next #2 Arriving in 3 minutes. Next #8 Arriving in 10 minutes. Etc…”
If we’re going to upgrade the design, we should also upgrade the functionality. ;)
I think it would be absolutly perfect if it was design A with LED signs with real time bus info.
+2 on real time led bus info (if not too expensive).
Finalist B for it’s simplicity of design; it’s likely to be the least expensive to produce (and thus justify) and require the least amount of maintenance. Finalist A’s design is nice but seems to require some sort of expansive modification to control drainage waterfalls on passengers who are ironically trying to stay dry, the same for C, which also appears to be a cost-overrun nightmare. As others suggest, the LED display would be nice for any of them. B also matches the new COTA color scheme.
A, I suppose. B is so boring (and actually offensively ugly) it is disappointing it is even a finalist, C looks nice enough but I wouldn’t want to use it in the winter time.
Not a very innovative bunch. I mean, I know, people aren’t used to being original with bus shelters, but I’d like to see them try to make the experience better, instead of basically just drawing a picture of a standard bus shelter. A at least does it a little bit with the little enclosed section. The open part is so big it still will be very drafty, though.
I’m with Ameya on this – kinda of a disappointing trio. Glass/Plexiglass, looks terrible over time and being clear you will see bird poop. I like the idea of LED information screen – perhaps in the areas with more sun access they could be solar powered? I thought it would be interesting to see some renewable resources as part of/incorporated the design.
Some interesting ideas:
http://www.designbuzz.com/entry/10-most-interesting-bus-shelter-designs/
and here:
http://www.designbuzz.com/entry/17-most-interesting-bus-shelter-designs/
It would be awesome to have something more signature like the Paris Metro did with Art Noveau in the 1900′s…
but that is asking a lot.
Definitely finalist A, looks modern and a touch edgy without going overboard. B is a bit generic, and C looks like what Ikea would build if they got into the functional urban structure business.
IMO, Finalist A is the most visually appealing. However, folks have made good points about drainage and cost being important factors.
As inspiration to the finalists take a look at Portland’s new downtown MAX shelters, that illuminate at night:
Image doesn’t quite do it justice but a really interesting aluminum mesh wrapped column cantilevers the entire glass roof structure and doubles as lighting. I think the idea of a competition was a good one, but all will need quite a bit of development. A’s saddle roof could be pretty interesting.
Finalist A. Its appealing to the eye. And I agree with the up-to-date bus information.