Remarkable Circle Line Stages 1 & 2 Station Designs

On this day 11 years ago, the first and second stage of the Circle Line (CCL) officially commenced for passenger service, with 11 stations from Dhoby Ghaut to Tai Seng.

Within these 11 stations, a few of them had award-winning architecture designs which led to international attention at our MRT station architecture.

CC2 Bras Basah by WOHA Architects

As a station located in the historic civic district, it requires blending well together with the landscape on ground level and also providing a visual connection to the exterior to enhance the travel experience for the commuters.

A water-covered glass roof allows daylight to penetrate through the underground station, and when seen from ground level, a reflection pool amidst greenery.

In addition to it being an aesthetic feature, it can also functionally relieve the claustrophobic-feel below, as Bras Basah station was the deepest MRT station at the point in time.

The reflection of the pool displays the classical designs of the Art Museum and also creates a civic forecourt to the Singapore Management University located beside the station.

Awards Received

Bras Basah station has won numerous awards with WOHA’s winning design of an international competition, most notably the World Transport Building of the Year award in the 2009 World Architect Festival, awarded by World Architecture Festival.

CC4 Promenade by DP Architects

The design intent was to provide a curvilinear envelope consisting of deep-edged metal louvres to conceal the services and concrete shafts and integrate it with the vertically-glazed skylights.

The three entrances follow a same idiom of thin and sharp lines for the roof and glazed panels for the sides.

The interior finishes are understated with a palette of light grey and green granite on the floors, granite and stainless steel-trimmed panels on the walls and metal grids ceilings.

CC6 Stadium by WOHA Architects

The station requires the architecture design to solve the problems of surge crowds and crowd holding areas by placing the unpaid areas at ground level and providing a public plaza for holding crowds, avoiding underground linkways and other situations where panic could occur.

The platform, although underground, relates to the exterior through the extremely direct circulation path through skylights, and the louvred walls creates a calm and easily navigated environment.

The length of the station box closer to the National Stadium is also curved, matching the outline of the National Stadium on ground level.

Awards Received

Stadium station, one of the two train stations designed by WOHA, was given the Design of the Year award in the 2010 President’s Design Award, by DesignSingapore Council and Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Related Links
Circle Line – SGTrains

External Links
Bras Basah MRT Station – WOHA Architects
Promenade MRT Station – DP Architects
Stadium MRT Station – WOHA Architects