Amazing subway station architecture (house, designs, space, build)
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In contrast, the NYC metro and San Francisco's BART look like something from the third world (the only exception being Grand Central station). Very basic and utilitarian in appearance. Why do the trains and stations all seem to be painted in the same dull, oppressive industrial gray? Or perhaps not even painted. The exterior of the trains look like they're just bare metal with just a clearcoat to protect from rust. The type of aesthetic you would commonly find in the Soviet era under Stalin.
Compared to the brightly colored trains and stations commonly found in European cities. A subway is underground so they can feel like dark, foreboding places to be especially at night. So to counteract that darkness it makes sense to paint the trains and stations in bright, vivid, cheery colors. The use of beautiful, uplifting architecture is another way to do it.
Subway stations in NY have the look and feel of a dark underground cave or dungeon. Those bare, harsh fluorescent light bulbs haning from the ceiling certainly don't help. Barf. This is not how you uplift and inspire the human spirit. But it might be a good way to repress it.
From your list I have riden in Moscow, Paris, Montreal, Cologne, and Munich...I frequent the Chicago metro which has the inviting odor of urine to go with its industrial/dark cavern appearance. I remember when I first went into the Moscow subway I was amazed, it was so beautiful. It was nothing like I was expecting...tiled walls, statues, very artistic. Moscow could do some work on the exterior of their buildings, but the guts of their metro was beautiful.
As it is a relatively new system, the LA subway is very attractive (not as attractive as most of those Euro / Canadian ones but one of the best in the US)
Images from Wikipedia: Hollywood / Vine (those are film reels):
From your list I have riden in Moscow, Paris, Montreal, Cologne, and Munich...I frequent the Chicago metro which has the inviting odor of urine to go with its industrial/dark cavern appearance.
Just remember to breathe only through the mouth and take shallow breaths.
Quote:
Originally Posted by almost3am
I remember when I first went into the Moscow subway I was amazed, it was so beautiful. It was nothing like I was expecting...tiled walls, statues, very artistic. Moscow could do some work on the exterior of their buildings, but the guts of their metro was beautiful.
I hear Moscow is surprisingly beautiful. Lots of great architecture throughout the city. I hope to visit one day.
As it is a relatively new system, the LA subway is very attractive (not as attractive as most of those Euro / Canadian ones but one of the best in the US)
The Hollywood station is very cool. The LA metro has a number of interesting station designs. Many are built with some kind of architectural theme for both underground and above ground stations. I would say probably the best looking system in the US.
Riding the LA Metro :: arcspace.com (http://www.arcspace.com/kk_ann/la_metro/la_metro.html - broken link)
Baltimore's subway stations are dramatically boring.
This is Charles Center station, the main stop downtown. It was supposed to be the hub for many different subway lines, but only one was ever built. It is grossly underutilized and is quite often very quiet.
Eh? The Moscow subway was built under Stalin and looks very nice as you showed.
I meant to say typical Soviet style architecture for the non-elite. Stalin had a taste for western style classical architecture, but of course only elites like him could afford such tastes. The masses were more typically housed in something like this: (Though they did enjoy the great looking subways he built).
Baltimore's subway stations are dramatically boring.
This is Charles Center station, the main stop downtown. It was supposed to be the hub for many different subway lines, but only one was ever built. It is grossly underutilized and is quite often very quiet.
Boy, that looks exactly like the BART stations they have in the SF bay area. Which all look exactly alike. I bet many US cities use the same builder and supplier for their metro systems. So they all look like they came from the same cookie cutter assembly line and probably did.
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