celebrating buses
Our bus stop shelters are as dreary as January in Pittsburgh. While they may be utilitarian they are quite pedestrian and uninspired. The essential bus stop sign hasn’t even been integrated into the shelter. It stands all alone, attached to a nearby post or pole, an afterthought. What a shameful solution for a bus system that has more riders than most other cities in the US.
Santa Monica, on the other hand, is celebrating its bus system Last year their Big Blue Bus Agency awarded Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects and Bruce Mau Design the Big Blue Bus Architectural and Branding Package. These two internationally recognized firms were charged with the job of exploring how public transportation has the potential to cultivate, enrich and connect the community.
Their joyful solution, “The Blue Spots” takes the dreary out of bus stops. Eventually, these flexible blue shelters will be implemented at 360 stops.
Ours or theirs? You pick.
Tags: architecture, city, design, environment, other cities, pittsburgh, transportation
January 24th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
I understand that this is aesthetic commentary, but I just found it… a bit lacking in a realistic critique of what could be done.
It doesnt take into consideration the money that is needed for these endeavors, or the poor care of the buses themselves, let alone new structures altogether.
As for the blue dots, inspired, but also appropriate for Santa Monica specifically, not Pittsburgh needs.
Wouldnt a community rather celebrate our transit by making it a better system with more efficient buses (travel wise and environmentally), and put money into that before something that is simply aesthetic? Or, perhaps embrace shelters that are more functional with bus times and maps (oh the basics we lack), or more ergonomic seating?
I do not see how these blue dots actually connect or enrich the community, other than ‘looking good’ and possibly offering good signage for tourists. It doesnt engage them, protect them, or improve the service at all (that I could see). IMHO, good design from any angle should strive to do that.
Yes, ideally, they should be invested in, but I think we should and could offer a more sophisticated solution than that.
January 25th, 2010 at 8:04 am
I like there’s. I would also like to see real time bus information integrated into either the bus stop itself or available from a cell phone. The buses already have GPS and port authority knows where they all are, why can’t they share this information with their riders?
January 25th, 2010 at 8:44 am
If you go to some of the links I provided you will see that the blue dots were very carefully designed to protect and service riders. I’m not suggesting this is a solution for Pittsburgh. I’m suggesting that ours is singularly uncreative and unattractive. Of course, this is not instead of providing excellent service. It should be as well.
I wish I had the time to design bus shelters. Alas, all I can do here it prod someone into thinking about it.
January 28th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
Agreed this is NOT the solution for Pittsburgh; the dots are a bit…open. Santa Monica weather, we have not.
As for the number of stops – 360 – that cannot possibly be a coincidence.
February 26th, 2010 at 12:04 am
Hey there! I have to say I love Your blog, it makes for an captivating Read! I hope to see more rants etc. from you soon! Thanks!
March 2nd, 2010 at 11:00 am
Eve–Happy to see people interested in this topic. We recently published a study called Rethinking the Suburban Bus Stop. Send me your address and I’ll send you a copy.