2013_StrawnSierralta_BRT_NextStop_Competition_Brief by Brian Strawn

NEXT STOP: Designing chicago brt stations

2013 BURNHAM PRIZE COMPETITION

Introduction

The Chicago Architectural Club and Chicago Architecture Foundation--in partnership with the Chicago Department of Transportation, the Chicago Transit Authority, and the Chicago Bus Rapid Transit Steering Committee--are pleased to announce the 2013 Burnham Prize Competition: NEXT STOP: Designing Chicago BRT Stations. This is a single-stage international design ideas competition intended to catalyze iconic, sustainable, and functional design for representative corridors in Chicago’s planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

Challenge

NEXT STOP seeks to integrate innovative and compelling transportation design into Chicago’s urban fabric. Importantly, NEXT STOP seeks proposals that realize BRT as a system of solutions: each design team must submit designs for three different prototype sites and demonstrate how BRT station design can be adapted to each context.

Background

This competition is a vital component of the planning process for Chicago’s bold, new BRT transit initiative. BRT service offers faster, more efficient, and more reliable travel than traditional bus service. Designed for busy streets with heavy vehicle traffic, BRT systems can integrate a number of features, including:

• Dedicated bus lanes or separate bus rights-of-way from normal street traffic.

• Transit signal priority, which extends green lights and shortens red lights for buses.

• Fewer stops and additional customer amenities, including pre-paid fare collection, neighborhood maps, and digital displays with bus and train arrival information.

• A uniquely-identifiable fleet of vehicles with a distinct look and brand.

• Special stations designed to increase the speed, comfort, and ease of travel.

BRT combines the efficiency and consistency of rail rapid transit with the flexibility and comparatively lower cost of bus service. BRT service has been implemented in cities throughout the world, including several U.S. cities. BRT is currently being planned for two transit corridors in Chicago: the Central Loop and along Western and Ashland avenues. Other potential corridors are currently being studied.

Quality station design lies at the heart of BRT. Without it, every component of the service may be compromised, from rider experience to system operations. Visionary station design will help ensure that Chicago BRT lives up to its promise as a modern, high-quality public transit service that is characterized by speed, reliability, ease, and comfort. Importantly, BRT stations aren’t limited by their potential as public transit amenities: they have the opportunity to become vibrant public spaces in their own right and catalyze additional investment along BRT corridors.

Schedule

3/28/13 - Competition launched / Online registration opens / Question & Answer period opens*

4/19/13 - Question & Answer period closes

5/13/13 - Online submissions are due

6/6/13 - Winners announced at a special event at the Chicago Architecture Foundation

*Answers to all questions will be posted to the competition website.

Fees

Registration Fee: $90

Reduced Fee for Students (with valid ID): $50

Registration

To register, go to the competition website http://chicagoarchitecturalclub.org, follow the payment instructions, and send an email to nextstopburnhamprize2013@gmail.com with the contact information for the entrant or team leader.

Confirmation of the registration along with a random 5-digit registration number will be emailed to the registrant (individual or the team leader) for identification of the final submission. One registration is required per project submitted. Participants may submit multiple entries or be part of multiple teams, but each submission must have an individual registration number.

Registration will remain open until the submission due date. Registrations fees are non-refundable. Fees will not be returned under any circumstances.

By registering for the competition, competitors agree to all competition terms and conditions.

Submissions

Competition submissions are due at 12 noon U.S. Central Time (UTC - 06:00) on May 13, 2013. Submissions are electronic and submitted via email only. The following materials should be submitted:

1. A maximum of four 11 inch x 17 inch boards (tabloid) oriented in landscape format. Each board must include the 5-digit assigned registration number in the lower right hand corner. Boards must be combined into a single four-page document and submitted in PDF format. The file should be named with the 5-digit registration number - “12345.pdf.”

2. A written statement of no more than 250 words explaining your ideas. The file should be named “Statement_12345.doc.” This file must be a .txt, .doc, or .rtf file, NOT a .pdf or .jpg.

3. A single page document with team identification and contact information. Include: Project title, names of team members, leader’s telephone number, and email address. The file should be named “ID_12345.doc.” This file must be a .txt, .doc, or .rtf file, NOT a .pdf or .jpg. The source of any third party materials incorporated in the entry must also be included; this source information may exceed one page if necessary.

All three files must be then saved in a single ZIP file named with the 5-digit registration number “12345.zip.” This zipped file should not exceed 5MB. The single ZIP file should be sent via email to: nextstopburnhamprize2013@gmail.com. The email subject line should read “Registration Number_12345.” Upon announcement of the winners, higher resolution images may be requested from winning submissions and selected entries.

Awards & Jury

First prize: $3,000

Second prize: $1,500

Third prize: $750

In addition to cash prizes, competition entries may be evaluated by the Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Transit Authority as part of BRT project implementation. The terms and conditions of this are described in the “Terms and Conditions” section of this document.

Honorable mentions may be awarded at the discretion of the jury but will receive no cash prize.

Select projects will be featured on the websites of the Chicago Architectural Club, the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and other partner agencies; in the official competition catalogue; and are to be exhibited in a special event at the Chicago Architecture Foundation.

A jury of notable professionals, academics, and public officials will decide competition winners. The jury will be announced via the Competition Website. The decisions of the jury will be final and unalterable, and the jury thereby reserves the right to leave any prize vacant, or partially award prizes.

Evaluation Criteria

Jurors will evaluate proposals based on the following criteria:

• Quality of design and vision.

• Integration of BRT features and amenities.

• Construction feasibility and cost.

• Reflection of stakeholder interests.

• Scalability of design – how effectively station prototypes can be adapted to potential future BRT station locations.

• Adaptability of design to different neighborhood contexts.

• Ability of design to encourage and enhance intermodal connectivity (i.e. walking, biking, bike/car sharing, urban rail, regional rail).

• Ability of design to help establish a unique identity for Chicago BRT corridors.

Terms and Conditions

Eligibility

The NEXT STOP competition is open to anyone with a vision of what Chicago BRT stations could become: architects, landscape architects, planners, students, graphic designers, industrial designers, artists, and others. Design teams with a varied composition of experts in any of the fields related to the built environment are encouraged.

Members of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Architectural Club, staff of the Chicago Architecture Foundation, members of the jury or their families, or those involved with the preparation or funding of this competition may not participate. This competition is to be conducted solely via the competition website – no additional printed material is available. The official language of the competition is English; submissions in a language other than English will be disqualified. All drawings and architectural scales should be expressed in feet and inches.

Anonymity

NEXT STOP is an anonymous competition. No names of team members shall appear on graphic material or in file names. A unique 5-digit registration number is the only means of identification.

Ownership & Copyright

The Chicago Architectural Club and the Chicago Architecture Foundation intend to publish the results of the competition online and present results in a public forum. By submitting an entry, competitors grant to the Chicago Architectural Club, the Chicago Architecture Foundation, the Chicago Department of Transportation, and the Chicago Transit Authority a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable license to copy, publish, exhibit, display, distribute, create derivative works, or use any part of the entry submitted to this competition in any format for any purpose, and to license third parties to copy, display, distribute or publish the materials in the context of promoting or reporting on bus rapid transit or the competition and its results.

Because the purpose of this competition is to foster innovative design for transit stations in Chicago, by submitting an entry, competitors grant to the Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Transit Authority a non-exclusive, transferrable, irrevocable, perpetual right to copy, display, distribute, create derivative works, make, use, or incorporate any entry or any element of any entry in designs for infrastructure, without guarantee of payment to the competitor. The Chicago Department of Transportation and/or the Chicago Transit Agency will, at their sole discretion, give credit to an entrant if the agency deems their work to have significant influence on final design of a BRT station that is built. However, the Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Transit Authority are not obligated to utilize any entry.

Warranties

All competition entries must be the competitors’ original work created solely by the entrant, not previously constructed. The source of any clip or stock art, or other materials, incorporated in the design rendering or other wise used in the entry should be identified. By submitting an entry, competitors warrant that their entry is original and that they possess sufficient rights in the entry to grant the rights to the Chicago Architectural Club, the Chicago Architecture Foundation, the Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Transit Authority that are described in this document. Competitors agree to indemnify the Chicago Architectural Club, the Chicago Architecture Foundation, the Chicago Department of Transportation, the Chicago Transit Authority, and competition jurors against any claims of intellectual property infringement relating to or arising from entrants’ entries.

Questions

Questions regarding the competition will be accepted until April 19, 2013.

Questions should be emailed to: nextstopburnhamprize2013@gmail.com.

Answers will be posted on the competition website: www.chicagoarchitecturalclub.org

Web Appendices

The following Appendices are available on the competition website: Appendix A: Community Feedback on Chicago BRT Station Design. Appendix B: CTA Guidelines for Signage / Wayfinding for BRT Stations.

Additional Resources

An additional resource list is also available on the competition website.

Acknowledgements:

CAC Team: Karla Sierralta and Brian Strawn of Strawn.Sierralta. CAF Project Team: Ingrid Haftel, Jessica Cybulski, Kristy Peterson. Special thanks to Christopher Ziemann, Metropolitan Planning Council, Active Transportation Alliance, a5, Chicago Department of Transportation, and Chicago Transit Authority. Cover Image: Natalya Egon.

NEXT STOP is presented by:

In partnership with:

With support from:

chicago architectural club

NEXT STOP: chicago brt

Overview

• Dedicated bus lanes or separate bus rights-of-way from normal street traffic.

• Transit signal priority, which extends green lights and shortens red lights for buses.

• Fewer stops and additional customer amenities, including pre-paid fare collection, neighborhood maps, and digital displays with bus and train arrival information.

• A uniquely-identifiable fleet of vehicles with a distinct look and brand.

• Special stations designed to increase the speed, comfort, and ease of travel.

2. DRAFT ROUTE CONCEPT FOR WESTERN & ASHLAND BRT CORRIDOR, 2012. Image Courtesy of CTA.

DRAFT ROUTE PLAN FOR ALL CENTRAL LOOP CORRIDOR BUS ROUTES, 2013. Image Courtesy of CDOT. 3. DRAFT ROUTE PLAN FOR CENTRAL LOOP CORRIDOR BRT SERVICE, 2010. Image Courtesy of CDOT.

NEXT STOP: SITES & program

Three Conceptual Sites

For purposes of the competition, three conceptual sites have been chosen. Because the purpose of NEXT STOP is to devise a station prototype for potential future BRT corridors, competitors must include all three sites in their proposals. These three sites exemplify three tiers of experience within the proposed BRT system: a high-capacity station for Chicago’s Downtown Loop neighborhood (Tier 1); a high-capacity station situated in the Bucktown-Logan Square neighborhood, close to the elevated train (known as the ‘L’) (Tier 2); and a medium capacity station in the Pilsen neighborhood (Tier 3).

SITE A / LOOP: Tier 1 Station (Madison St., between State St. & Dearborn St.)

At the intersection of State and Madison, a Tier 1 Station is located at a busy nexus of commerce, business, and educational facilities in Chicago’s Loop. It is the 0,0 (origin) point for Chicago’s grid numbering system. This station would be used by stakeholders ranging from commuters traveling to and from the city’s central business district to sightseers visiting popular tourist destinations. Site A represents a curbside configuration on a one-way street. The station would serve nearly 4,500 transit riders a day and should have space to accommodate at least 40 people at a time.

SITE B / BUCKTOWN-LOGAN SQUARE: Tier 2 Station (Western Ave., between W. Cortland St. & the Western Blue Line ‘L’ stop)

At the intersection of Western and Cortland, a Tier 2 Station is located near the Western Blue Line ‘L’ stop. Located on Western Avenue, a busy commercial and residential corridor, this site is the meeting point of two trendy North side neighborhoods, Bucktown and Logan Square. Site B represents a curbside-running configuration. The station would serve nearly 3,000 transit riders a day in both directions of travel and should have space to accommodate at least 30 people at a time in each direction. Designing a prototype of the Southbound station is required. Including a different design for the Northbound station is optional.

SITE C / PILSEN: Tier 3 Station (Ashland Ave., between 17th St. and 18th St.)

At the intersection of 18th and Ashland, a Tier 3 Station is located at one of the busiest intersections in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Originally a neighborhood inhabited by Eastern European immigrants, Pilsen is now regarded as an important center of Latino culture in Chicago. Site C represents a center-running configuration. The station would serve more than 1,500 transit riders a day in both directions of travel and should accommodate at least 20 people at a time.

Prototype Station Program

Each prototype station must achieve the following: (Additional details on each of the below points are available in Appendices A and B via the competition website.)

• Ensure safe pedestrian access to the station.

• Conform to site size specifications and minimum capacity requirements.

• Integrate into the site design pre-paid fare collection, comprised of either a) a fare ticketing kiosk, or b) ticketed turnstiles.

• Integrate a display for real-time passenger information.

• Provide shelter from weather, including precipitation, wind, and sun.

• Be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

• Include lighting for nighttime use and to discourage vandalism and enhance a feeling of safety.

• Include amenities such as recycling and garbage bins.

• Propose materials and design strategies that reduce costs and maintenance.

• Emphasize environmental sustainability.

• Provide space for wayfinding signage and customer information.

• Provide space for advertising.

In addition to the above, teams are encouraged to consider other amenities for riders, general public space improvements, and placemaking and public art opportunities. Teams should review Appendix A for more information on stakeholder interests and concerns regarding station design. Additional design elements may include:

• Linkages to potential car sharing and bike sharing facilities.

• Seating inside and/or outside of the station.

• Bike parking and/or other biking amenities.

• Space for public art.

• Landscaping.

• Renewable energy integration.

• Kiosk for neighborhood maps and information.

B BUCKTOWN / LOGAN SQUARE

LOOP

PILSEN

CONCEPTUAL SITE LOCATIONS / AERIAL VIEW. Image Courtesy of Google.

DAILY RIDERSHIP/PLATFORM CAPACITY (curb-running)

Daily ridership - more than 4,500 (includes estimated ridership shift from Madison/Clark) Platform capacity - at least 40 (single direction)

DAILY RIDERSHIP/PLATFORM CAPACITY (curb-running)

Daily ridership - nearly 3,000 (includes estimated ridership shift from Western/Milwaukee) Platform capacity - at least 30 (in each direction)

DAILY RIDERSHIP/PLATFORM CAPACITY (center-running)

Daily ridership - more than 1,500 (includes estimated ridership shift from Ashland/19th) Platform capacity - at least 20 (both directions = combined in center platform)

Note: Designing a prototype of the Southbound station is required. Including a different design for the Northbound station is optional.

Image Courtesy of CDOT.

Image Courtesy of CAF.

SOUTH BOUND

NORTH BOUND

NEXT STOP: SITE

A / LOOP, TIER 1 STATION, W. MADISON ST. (BETWEEN DEARBORN ST. & STATE ST.)

W. Madison St.

E. Madison St.

N. Dearborn St.

S. Dearborn St.

N. State St.

S. State St.

SITE A / LOOP. AERIAL VIEW. Image courtesy of Google. Rectangle indicates location of platform only, not to scale.

SITE A / LOOP. WEST VIEW OF MADISON ST. Image courtesy of CDOT.

NEXT STOP: SITE A / LOOP, TIER

1

STATION,

W. MADISON ST. (BETWEEN DEARBORN ST. & STATE ST.)

CONCEPT FOR BRT CURBSIDE-RUNNING CONFIGURATION / SECTION VIEW. Image Courtesy of CDOT.

NOTE: This is a typical configuration for Madison St. Exact site conditions not reflected in drawings.

SITE A / LOOP. WEST VIEW OF MADISON ST. Image Courtesy of CDOT.

PLATFORM

DIMENSIONS: 135 ft. x 11 ft.

FOR BRT CURBSIDE-RUNNING CONFIGURATION / PLAN VIEW. Image Courtesy of CDOT.

Drawing not to scale.

CONCEPT

NEXT STOP: SITE b / BUCKTOWN - logan SQUARE, TIER 2 STATION, N. WESTERN AVE.

SITE

SITE B / BUCKTOWN-LOGAN SQUARE. NORTH VIEW OF WESTERN AVE. Image Courtesy of CAF.

NEXT STOP: SITE

b / BUCKTOWN - logan SQUARE, TIER 2 STATION, N. WESTERN AVE. (BETWEEN W. CORTLAND ST. & THE WESTERN BLUE LINE “L” STOP)

SITE B / BUCKTOWN-LOGAN SQUARE. SOUTH WEST VIEW OF WESTERN AVE. Image courtesy of CAF.

NOTE: This is a typical configuration for Western Ave. Exact site conditions not reflected in drawings.

SITE B / BUCKTOWN-LOGAN SQUARE. NORTHEAST VIEW OF WESTERN AVE. Image courtesy of CAF. CONCEPT FOR BRT CURBSIDE-RUNNING CONFIGURATION / SECTION VIEW. Image Courtesy of CDOT.

PLATFORM DIMENSIONS: 145 ft. x 12 ft.

NOTES: This is a typical configuration for Western Ave. Exact site conditions not reflected in drawings. Designing a prototype of the Southbound station is required. Including a different design for the Northbound station is optional.

STOP: SITE C / pilsen, TIER 3 STATION, S. ASHLAND AVE. (BETWEEN w.17TH ST. & w. 18TH ST.)

SITE C / PILSEN. AERIAL VIEW. Image Courtesy of Google. Rectangle indicates location of platform only, not to scale.

W. 18th St.

W. 17th St.

S. Ashland Ave.

SITE C / PILSEN. NORTHWEST VIEW OF ASHLAND AVE. Image Courtesy of CAF.

NEXT STOP: SITE C

/ pilsen, TIER 3 STATION, S. ASHLAND AVE. (BETWEEN w.17TH ST. & w. 18TH ST.)

CONCEPT FOR BRT CENTER-RUNNING CONFIGURATION / SECTION VIEW. Image Courtesy of CDOT. 14’

NOTE: This is a typical configuration for Ashland Ave. Exact site conditions not reflected in drawings.

SITE C / PILSEN. NORTHEAST VIEW OF ASHLAND AVE. Image courtesy of CAF.

SITE C / PILSEN. NORTHWEST VIEW OF ASHLAND AVE. Image courtesy of CAF.

Typical Station Design Center, Travel Lane Removal

CONCEPT FOR BRT CENTER-RUNNING CONFIGURATION / PLAN VIEW. Image Courtesy of CTA. PLATFORM DIMENSIONS: 145 ft. x 14 ft.

NOTE: This is a typical configuration for Ashland Ave. Exact site conditions not reflected in drawings.

NEXT STOP is presented by:

chicago architectural club

The history of the Chicago Architectural Club runs side-by-side with the development of the Chicago school of architecture. From its founding in 1885 as an architectural sketch club, to today’s rich schedule of discussions, competitions and exhibitions, the CAC has consistently championed the work of Chicago architects, as well as fostering ongoing, vigorous debate on fundamental issues of art and practice. Today, the CAC has rededicated itself to carrying forward Chicago’s robust architectural legacy into a new century.

The Chicago Architectural Club is a State of Illinois 501(c)(3) Not-for-Proﬁt Corporation and is tax exempt from Federal Income Tax of the Internal Revenue Code.

The Chicago Architecture Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring people to discover why design matters. The Chicago Architecture Foundation presents a comprehensive program of tours, exhibitions, lectures, special events and youth education activities, all designed to enhance the public’s awareness and appreciation of Chicago’s outstanding architectural legacy.

In partnership with:

With support from: