Bus Stop

The Velux Award Competition challenges architecture students to participate and experiment with daylight/sunlight. It enhances an aspiring architect’s knowledge about light travelling through space producing an interesting composition of shadows.Our selected site is a bus stop located in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, named Qasim Market Bus Stop. It is located on the main G.T (Grand Trunk) Road (commonly known as Peshawar Road) opposite the Rawalpindi Garrison Polo Club making it easily accessible to pedestrians. The Bus Stop has a shade of PVC supported by metal columns and two PVC benches accommodating around 6 people. Strong Vehicle and Pedestrian traffic in this area are due to the Polo Club’s existence. It is a notable stop for Rickshaw, Bike (Bykea), Buses (Local and educational institutes), Cars, Public Transport & pedestrians alike. The site is mostly used by workers, students and locals. The ramp present at the Bus Stop makes it easily accessible for the disabled. There is a significant amount of disorientating noise pollution. Lighting conditions are appropriate for the area, and the place is windy. The existing Bus Stop is intended to be demolished for these aforementioned reasons. While thinking about the ideas to redesign the Bus Stop; the main thing that grabbed our attention was the surroundings of the site. The greenery around makes it appears more environmentally sustainable.Our proposed idea consists of a leaf-inspired shade to drain rainwater off which is further stored in a bucket and the water collected can be recycled. The shade is to be made from florescent for absorbing sunlight and works as a light source in the evening and nighttime. The shade is to emerge in the form of a leaf. The inspiration for leaf came from the surroundings of the existing Bus stop site. The wall behind the bus stop is covered with leaves. In nature: water from leaves drips downwards due to gravity and its waterproof capabilities. The following quality of our design intervention is tackling the noise problem. The reason we chose glass is to avoid suffocation and claustrophobia.Our intervention makes use of natural resources to provide renewable energy and reduces the amount of carbon footprint.