SPACE X HYPERLOOP POD COMPETITION 2015, SEMI-FINALIST IN DESIGN ONLY CATEGORY
THE ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT REVOLVES AROUND THE PASSENGERS’ FLOW AND PODS’ LOGISTICS. FROM PURELY FUNCTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS, THE BUILDING HAS NATURALLY COME TO SUCH A SHAPE AFTER THE PROGRAM WAS MODELED AND COMPOSED INTO MODULES. THE BUILDING COMPRISES OF ENTRANCE AREA AND LUGGAGE DROP-OFF, SECURITY CLEARANCE AND WAITING AREAS WHICH OPEN UP TO VAST INTERIOR SPACE OF THE STATION. DEPARTURE AND ARRIVAL PLATFORMS ARE SPLIT INTO TWO LEVELS TO FACILITATE A DEMANDING GOAL OF EVERY-30 SECONDS PODS’ DEPARTURES. THE VAST SPACE IS RESERVED FOR PRESSURIZATION SYSTEMS AND THEIR SERVICE, AND LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE AREA WHERE THE TUBE ENTERS INTO THE BUILDING VOLUME. ARRIVAL PICK-UP AND DEPARTURE DROP-OFFS ARE SEPARATED ELEVATION-WISE AND DO NOT INTERSECT. THE BUILDING IS SUBMERGED IN LANDSCAPE TO ALLOW UNDISTURBING YET FUTURISTIC VISUAL PRESENCE. THE INSIDE SPACE IS COVERED BY A GLASS ROOF, A LIGHTWEIGHT TRUSS SYSTEM THAT IS SUPPORTED FROM THE PERIMETER STRUCTURAL RING. TRANSPARENT INFLATED ETFE IS ALSO AN OPTION GIVEN WARM CALIFORNIAN CLIMATE.