Glenroy Station

Commissioned by the North West Program Alliance, the project sees the removal of the level crossing at Glenroy Road, through which 19,000 vehicles pass daily. During the peak morning commute period, Glenroy Station’s boom gates are currently lowered 43 per cent of the time. The project’s challenge was to eliminate major road congestion issues within the suburb and to strengthen the community culture of Glenroy. Through the significant investment and development involved in the project, our focus was to play a part in seeing the community flourish in a safe and meaningful way

Genton’s urban design strategy involved relocating the station away from the heavily trafficked intersection at Glenroy Road, to prioritise pedestrianisation through the creation of a bridge linking the retail centre of Glenroy to the eastern side of the corridor to catalyse new opportunities for urban renewal. The new station has improved the formerly disconnected public amenities, enhancing street presence and creating an easier and safer environment by reducing the dangerous and congested level crossing at Glenroy Road. It also offers commuters a straight line of travel, avoiding footpaths and roads, to the connecting bus interchange.

Traditionally, station design is focused on the commuter journey and commuter amenities. Glenroy’s design approach challenges this notion and demonstrates a progressive design can address both its urban context and reflect the unique character of its location to be a design that serves both commuters and the community. By broadening the scope and possibilities of a ‘station’, creative and cost-effective measures were used throughout the design to achieve a quality product and maintain a high amenity look and finish. In creating a welcoming and unique feeling precinct, the project strengthens the social fabric of the local community.

Inspired by the basalt plains on which the site sits, a translucent canopy of perforated, anodised aluminium covers the station, forming a bold structure that allows for permeability through the station while maintaining visibility and safety. The scale of the station building is designed to appear grounded in the landscape, and over time to blend in with surrounding greenery as the landscape matures in future years. The bridge link was widened to 14 metres to enhance connectivity between Post Office Place and Hartington Street at the ground plane, making the project more than a train station by encouraging pedestrian movement between both sides of the tracks. Landscape and material prompts are employed to carefully and subtly separate cyclist and pedestrian zones.