Melbourne Metro Tunnel project: Design unveiled for five new underground train stations

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PHOTO: The entrance to the Metro Tunnel North Melbourne Station on Laurens Street. (Supplied: Rail Projects Victoria)

Final designs for Melbourne's five new underground train stations have been unveiled, with Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan predicting they will become new landmarks for the city.

Releasing the concept images for the $11 billion Metro Tunnel project, Ms Allan said she believed the stations would become part of the city's culture, like meeting under the clocks at Flinders Street.

"They are going to be landmarks in their own right," she said.

PHOTO: North Melbourne Station will feature a large brick archway. (Supplied: Rail Projects Victoria)

"Having distinctive features built into the design of these new underground stations will make interesting places for people to come as well as a great place to catch a train from," Ms Allan said.

"These new underground stations obviously have to work well from a passenger point of view — we need to make it easy for people to access these stations and to move around the train system.

"But we also recognise there's a special and unique opportunity to create new landmarks with these five new underground stations and that's why a lot of effort, a lot of thought, a lot of time and energy went into the design of these five new underground stations.

PHOTO: A concept image of the Grattan Street entrance to Parkville Station. (Supplied: Rail Projects Victoria)

The project will link the Sunbury and Cranbourne/Pakenham lines via a 9-kilometre tunnel along with the new stations at North Melbourne (with the existing North Melbourne station to be renamed West Melbourne), Parkville near the University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, State Library, Town Hall and Anzac on St Kilda Road.

North Melbourne Station, to be built near the corner of Arden and Laurens streets, will feature a large brick arched entrance, in a reference to the site's industrial history.

PHOTO: State Library Station will include an underground walkway to Melbourne Central (Supplied: Rail Projects Victoria)

Parkville Station, near the intersection of Grattan Street and Royal Parade, will boast a glass feature roof which will allow natural light to filter into the station concourse.

The platforms of the two CBD stations will be framed by sweeping arches and surrounded by redesigned laneways including cafes and shops.

"The two stations in the CBD are big open spaces… there'll be retail, there'll be cafes, they'll be meeting places and so they have open spaces to attract people," Ms Allan said.

PHOTO: An artist's impression of the City Square entrance to Town Hall Station. (Supplied: Rail Projects Victoria.)

State Library Station will feature a direct underground connection with Melbourne Central Station, while Town Hall Station will be linked to Flinders Street Station.

Anzac Station, near the Shrine of Remembrance on St Kilda Road, has been designed to allow people to easily interchange between trains and trams.

"It's been designed in a way that's sympathetic to that local area, but also allows passengers to move easily between those two modes," Ms Allan said.

PHOTO: The St Kilda Road entrance to Anzac Station. (Supplied: Rail Projects Victoria)

A pedestrian underpass beneath will St Kilda Road is aimed at improving safety.

The station designs are a collaboration between architects Hassell, Weston Williamson and Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners.

The Metro Tunnel and its new stations are due to open in 2025.

PHOTO: The Federation Square entrance to Town Hall Station. (Supplied: Rail Projects Victoria)

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05...zac-town-hall-state-library-parkville/9814890