Project Description
Fullerton and Belmont Stations are among the busiest in the CTA system serving more than 10,000 daily passengers. The reconstruction plans for both stations were similar. New open air plazas contain fare collection gateways supported by white brick pylons that lead to monumental stairs. Within the plazas, concrete columns taper to provide a canvass for artwork bearing the weight of the new, sound-dampening track structure above. The historic stationhouses were moved across the streets, restored to their original design, and now provide access. Translucent canopies and glass planks on the platforms were designed to bring day light to street-level mitigating the darkness of the underpasses. Layers of perforated stainless steel panels and patterned glass walls slide past stair openings to shelter and to bring light into the deep stationhouse, transforming artificial environments into spaces that blur the threshold to the outdoor streetscapes that surrounds them. Light structural members and reflective finishes sustain the diffusion of natural light, and are designed to accommodate future extensions of canopy enclosure and the replacement of concrete platforms with glass flooring over the streets and plazas. The entire reconstruction, including platform expansions and relocations was done without disruption of service.