Rail alignment and new stations
Even though almost a decade will elapse before Cityringen is scheduled to begin carrying passengers, Metroselskabet’s architects are already working on designing the seventeen new Cityringen stations.
The next generation of Metro stations is being created to complement Cityringen, the Copenhagen Metro’s new circle line. Cityringen’s stations will follow the now-familiar Copenhagen model which has been so well received by Metro users: spacious, open subterranean stations with easy access from street level and to the platform. This design makes allowing natural daylight into the station possible. This special quality of light has become one of the Copenhagen Metro’s hallmarks.
But there’s room for improvement and development in even the best thought-out and most popular design paradigm. The fundamental qualities of the present Metro - the experience of being in a safe, light, airy, well-organised space – will be carried over into the new stations.
But designers are working on new forms, colours and materials for wall coverings, platform flooring, and fittings such as railings and elevators. As whereas the present stations are more or less identical, there will be more variation and differences among Cityringen stations.
The design of the Metro fittings in the station area is also being taken in new directions. The diversity of the urban spaces into which Cityringen’s stations will be integrated must be respected and taken into account. These local variations will affect the design of such elements as stairways and skylights. In some situations, the intention is to design skylights that function as an integrated and inviting part of the aboveground cityscape in addition to providing the subterranean cityscape of the Metro with daylight..