Durham Station Transportation Center

Durham Station Transportation Center

Architect: Perkins+Will (visit website)
Location:Durham, NC
 

100 Word Description: The two-story, 10,300 sf building serves 4.5 million of Durham Area Transit’s 5 million annual passengers. Durham Station provides bus bays, taxicab spaces, short-term and accessible parking, bicycle racks, and a “kiss-and-ride†location. Incorporating materials used elsewhere in Durham, the design resonates with its industrial context while rendering the materials in a contemporary manner.  The building’s sweeping form expresses the dynamic nature of Durham’s transit program.  The expansive glass facade creates a secure environment through the visibility of transportation activities while simultaneously offering extensive views of the downtown area, the Historic American Tobacco development, and the West Village mixed-use development.
Architect’s Statement: The Durham Station Transportation Center (DSTC) collects multiple alternatives to automobile transit onto a single site in a vibrant revitalized district in downtown Durham.  The $17.6 million project, made possible by a combination of city, state, and federal funding, helps ensure more efficient transportation throughout the city and region.  The Center’s site is adjacent to the new Durham Amtrak station and the future downtown commuter rail station, which reinforces the facility’s function as a multi-modal hub for mass transit.The two-story, 10,300 square foot building serves 4.5 million of Durham Area Transit’s (DATA) 5 million annual passengers. Durham Station provides 20 canopied bus bays, spaces for taxicabs, accessible parking, short-term parking, bicycle racks and a “kiss and ride†drop-off location. The bus program includes local DATA buses, regional Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) buses and intercity Greyhound bus service.The building’s curved and layered glass curtain wall, perforated metal scrim and masonry site walls work in concert to suggest a theme of movement.  The building’s edge along Chapel Hill Street and Pettigrew Street forms a sweeping line while providing open views to transit activities serving the facility. The curved scrim denotes the entry points while orienting pedestrians along the perimeter of the site.The design incorporates familiar materials found elsewhere in the city and renders them in a contemporary manner with an industrial aesthetic.  The expansive glass facade offers a secure environment with visibility of transportation activities and views of the downtown area, the Historic American Tobacco development and West Village mixed use development. The articulated metal roof forms, masonry, and concrete resonate with the location’s industrial context while the building’s form expresses the dynamic nature of Durham’s transit program and the adjacent rail facilities.The City of Durham made a commitment to sustainable design during the planning of the DSTC and targeted a design that would be 25% more efficient than ASHRAE 90.1 energy standards.  Integrating the transparency of glass with an aggressive energy target proved to be a challenge that drove the basic planning and form of the building. Oriented along an east/west axis, the south façade is shaded by deep roof overhangs and horizontal sun shade louvers. All of the glazing is high performance, low-e, insulated glass that is more than twice as efficient as conventional insulated glass systems while allowing more visible light to pass through. Daylighting was digitally modeled during the planning phases in order to coordinate passive shading systems with active strategies such as day light sensors and HVAC system controls.  The DSTC is designed to enhance and expand the use of public transportation in the City of Durham and surrounding regions. The site was designed to create a park-like setting with lush landscaping, benches and covered canopies that provide respite and shelter for the facility’s ridership. Users of municipal and regional mass transit often feel devalued by the environments that house these facilities.  Providing a light filled and uplifting transit experience engenders a sense of pride and dignity in the ridership.
Type of Construction: The building utilizes an exposed structural steel frame with an insulated aluminum curtain wall.  Roof and ceilings utilize sound attenuating metal decking.  Ground face CMU and cast-in-place concrete anchor the building and facilitate grade changes.  Terrazzo flooring and painted steel stairs were selected for durability.  A perforated metal screen is used to control daylight at the curtain wall.
Photography: James West | JWest Productions, LLC
On October 3, 2014   /   2014 AIA North Carolina Design Award Winners, AIA North Carolina Design Awards, Portfolio