Yet another interesting winning design for a train station – this one is in Miami – selection was through a design competition.

Check out this article from the NY Times about what San Francisco is planning for its new transit station and neighborhood: The project, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects of New Haven, could ultimately be a signature structure in a carbon-sensitive city that professes devotion to public transportation. Cesar Pelli, the project’s lead architect since his firm won a design competition in 2007, calls the central office tower aesthetic “elegant and simple.” But Mr. Pelli said his firm left “the exuberance of the design for the transit center, which is meant to be an extraordinary public facility.” Drawings of the new bus and train station show a light-drenched, multilevel glass structure that will span five blocks, from Second to Main Street. A transparent roof will provide broad visibility to the leafy park above, which is meant to serve as a sort of urban retreat and amphitheater. Planners say the terminal, scheduled for completion in 2015, will serve 45 million passengers a year, eliminate 8,000 automobile trips daily, and offer a mass-transit link between San Francisco to Silicon Valley, the other economic engine in the Bay Area.

Please find attached a wonderful article – with lots of pictures – from Metropolis Magazine of the new multi-modal transit hub in Detroit. Some particulars: 25,000 s.f, $22.5 million, funded by FTA, Michigan DOT and land donated by City, architect – Tushar Advani of Parsons Brinkerhoff. The goal of the hub was not purely functional but also to create an iconic building that is a destination and serves as a catalyst to develop the neighborhood and further connect surrounding urban uses – both and architecture AND urban design exercise. Because of Detroit’s 4 season climate they have outdoor/indoor waiting areas – with the indoor area designed as a plaza that includes shops and cafes. It is quite an inspiration as well as great description of how these projects are realized.

detroit article.pdf

Our latest project – The Next Generation of Parks – working with the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, Walker Art Center and U of M College of Design on a design competition to re-evaluate the current park system within the context of infrastructure, public space and sustainability.

Check out Copenhagen’s winning train station design!

A bit of inspiration as we contemplate our own Minneapolis transportation interchange.

Working with Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, we helped create a print and visual piece advocating for the new Minneapolis Transportation Interchange. For a full copy contact kathryn.hatt@co.hennepin.mn.us.

VJAA created this proposal for the Gateway to Minneapolis, a 2010 Partners sponsored project – a combination remediation, integration and inspiration for a very complex area including a highway trench.

Check out this article in today’s Star Tribune (originally from the Walls Street Journal) about waste to energy, featuring Covanta Energy.

And look at this slide show, and most specifically image 4, which features our own Metrodome LRT stop/plaza as one of 10 great international examples of Public Art integrated into the urban landscape – featured in Urban Land Institutes Urban Land magazine –  and pays tribute to artist Andrew Leicester, HGA Architects and Metro Transit.

Groundwork coordinated a very successful 2-day workshop with Bill Morrish, sponsored by 2010 Partners, evaluating the area around the new Target Field.  Here is a summary of the workshop and the short and long term work plan. 60 community stakeholders attended and we are now implementing the work plan.