QLine Rail Stations
Detroit, Michigan
Jon Disbrow was the Design Lead and Principal for this project while with ROSSETTI.
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Area: 3.3 Miles / 20 Stops
Type: Cultural + Civic
Status: Built
Photography: John D'Angelo
Architect of Record: ROSSETTI
Awards
2017 ENR Midwest — Engineering News Record
Regional Design Award
This series of light-rail stations was designed so that they were immediately recognizable, yet transparent, blending into the surrounding cityscape while maintaining visibility and durability.
Located along Detroit’s Woodward corridor, these structures in a dense downtown area clearly identify the transportation system without competing with their surroundings.
The simple form consists of two L-shaped precast elements at 90 degrees to one another, joined by a glass panel. The inner surfaces of the two forms are rendered in locally made colored tiles, differentiating each stop along the transit path.
The QLine light-rail stations were designed so that they would blend into the surrounding cityscape while simultaneously being visually distinct. Transparency provides safety, and the L-shaped concrete elements offer durability and require little maintenance.
The minimal yet refined solution was an essential first step in the creation of a light-rail system that might one day extend across Detroit, a city with few public transportation options. For that reason, the stations needed to accommodate the various contexts at any location.
The stations welcome commuters and create value for QLINE Detroit and the neighborhoods it passes through. As the system matures, these nodes along the light-rail routes will hopefully become hubs for economic activity throughout the city.
