West Croydon Bus Station

Structural Steel Design Awards 2017 - Commendation

West Croydon Bus Station has been transformed from an unsightly, uninviting and poorly functioning 1980s ‘shed’ into a customer-friendly landmark that supports the regeneration of Croydon. The old building has been replaced by an open concourse under an elegant weathering steel canopy. The canopy wraps around and connects two small buildings – a retail unit and a bus operations building.

The choice of materials was carefully considered to reduce whole life costs. The primary material of the project is weathering steel, and is used throughout the canopy structure in combination with translucent Kalwall panels, creating a structure requiring minimal ongoing maintenance.

The weathering steel canopy wraps around the two brick clad buildings, tying the station architecture together on the linear site. The brick and weathering steel were chosen to complement the surroundings. The style and natural flow of the station achieves this while also providing an interesting play of light, shadow and texture. Timber seating and planters are fully integrated into the steel canopy structure, along with customer information and lighting to minimise visual clutter.

The canopy is based around a repeating module where [[Facades_and_interfaces#Steel in atria and canopies|canopy and supporting columns are linked by a curved haunch. This haunch is perforated with variable sized holes to both create interesting visual effects and demonstrate the changing stress intensity across the haunch.

Guttering, downpipes and lighting have all been integrated into the structure to ensure services are not visible or impact on the final impression of the structure.

The buildings are highly sustainable and environmentally friendly - with solar panels, air source heat pumps, LED lighting, and building materials that maximise the buildings’ performance. A building management system ensures energy efficiency and reduces light pollution.

The opaque canopy provides natural lighting and manages glare and heat transfer. Night lighting on the canopy creates an attractive and safe environment.

The whole life value of all aspects of the design was assessed to inform design decisions, such that:

• The weathering steel of the canopy reduces maintenance and future carbon impact.
• The design modelled different climate scenarios and was carefully detailed to minimise waste during the build.
• Prefabricated insulated timber panels reduced on-site labour and the energy required to mechanically condition the buildings throughout their lifetime.

Anti-social behaviour was a significant issue at the old bus station. The new improved open layout, architectural lighting and soft landscaping tackle this issue and create a safer, more socially sustainable, environment.

Architect	Transport for London
Structural Engineer	Price & Myers
Steelwork Contractor	B&W Engineering Services Ltd
Main Contractor	Quinn London Ltd.
Client	Transport for London

Judges' comment

High quality design and careful selection of materials, with low maintenance a major objective, are evident in this project. The lightweight canopy is framed in weathering steel, carefully prepared and detailed, to provide visual interest.

This is a facility which has transformed passenger experience and provided a significant contribution to the environment.