Integrated Assemblage of Transport in Rotation

This hyperloop station is a large station that is accommodating for large quantities of people at a single time which requires an organization system that would allow for quick transport of people. As trains unload and board passengers there is always a loss in efficiency due to crowding and lack of accommodation for people in large quantities. This project adapts the technique of a rotational assembly line for loading pods into hyperloops with efficiency in mass as needed. This concept is integrated with high density housing and retail to adapt more uses for the public and accumulate revenue for the station.

This Station serving as a multi-functional building has multiple advantages, in terms of serving as an efficient station the top two floors are designated for unloading passengers while the bottom two levels are for boarding passengers. This allows for a smooth transition of passengers with no friction between boarding and deboarding groups. This is to increase efficiency to accommodate more passengers at a faster rate and decrease travel times. The bridge in the context serves as a base for the station and feeds directly into the stations boarding levels for passengers being dropped off or walking to the station. The boarding levels are designated to have storage for extra pods to be put in use when there is an increase in volume of passengers. Retail and housing are programs located on the arrival levels of the station to accommodate convenience for arriving passengers or residents. The top plaza integrates a green space for residents in housing units and public use as passengers arrive at the station.

Early iterations displayed techniques of rotation platforms in the vertical sense acting like pedals on a bike to quickly load or remove pods on hyper loops according to volume of passengers. Rotating mechanisms rotated on a hydraulic axel to load passengers on the bottom level and receive passengers on the top level. The rotating platforms held two cars on each two separate tracks but was only able to receive 4 and send 4 pods at the same instant. We learned that this would only be able to accommodate about 24,000 passengers daily if pods left every 5 minutes, putting us below the needed amount to accommodate. Another issue with this was that the mechanism took a large volume of space that made areas around it unusable. Understanding this helped make the decision of adding more hyper loop tubes and split their placement between the core and the exterior sides of the station to maximize usage of space.

Programs were determined based on things that would bring in revenue for the station like a small grocery market and small vendors. Locating food and water conveniently make it appealing for passengers to make purchases waiting to board their pod. In addition, the introduction of housing makes it convenient for new residents to visit the station or for residents to purchase food at this station’s location. Creating a green space on the top plaza makes a space to serve as a sanctuary above all the hustle of crowds and a fast-moving station layered above a busy freeway. The transit system was a given, but we wanted these hyper loop tubes to become part of the building instead of an entity that passes through the station. The tubes are encased and, in some cases, subtract from the building and become the blood vessels of the building.

To reach the minimum number of passengers that needed to be served we needed at least five pods leaving every five minutes which meant we needed five hyperloop tubes dedicated to human transit to reach about 29,000 passengers served daily. In accounting for technical issues and human activity, we decided it was best to have at least six pods and tubes always running to accommodate for any hiccups in schedules. We successfully integrated six tubes into the station by layering the hyperloop tubes on each other and staggering them in section to create circulation space and plaza based on incoming and departing pods. In total this design allows the accommodation of 35,000 daily passengers above the target amount of 30,000 to allow for growth.

Using a few more integrated programs included into the building we had the intention of drawing the attention of more people to use the station that normally would not. This integration also plays part in promoting sustainability by inviting more people to use this advanced high speed transit system to take unnecessary cars off the road. A hyperloop station can become a new way of transportation for many and become a catalyst for new social interactions