Abstract:
For many transit customers, using buses and trains means waiting outdoors for their trips. While many systems invest considerable dollars in the installation of passenger shelters, transit centers, and rail station platforms, it seems as though proportionally less consideration is given to the design of these facilities to take advantage of local climate. Through the innovative use of building materials and design it is possible to offset the adverse effects of climate to make patrons feel physically comfortable. The author has successfully applied “climate response” design to shelters and rail stations in Phoenix, Arizona, and elsewhere. This paper describes climate response design, explains how this design approach can improve the apparent comfort of passenger waiting outdoors for service, and presents a demonstrated application of this technique to passenger facilities in Phoenix.
