Three renowned architecture studios - RSHP, Hassell, and WWP Architects - have successfully completed five distinctive subway stations for Melbourne's ambitious Metro Tunnel rail network. The innovative stations are designed to provide commuters with enjoyable and inspiring spaces during their underground journeys. Set to become fully operational in February 2026, the Metro Tunnel represents a major infrastructure investment aimed at reducing congestion on Melbourne's existing City Loop underground system.
The Metro Tunnel project will connect the Sunbury line in the western suburbs to the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines in the southeast, creating a more efficient transit network for the growing city. Each of the five new stations features a unique street-level appearance specifically designed to blend harmoniously with the surrounding neighborhood character while maintaining a cohesive identity across the entire line.
The design teams prioritized bringing natural light into the underground spaces, using innovative approaches including colored structural elements and sculptural lighting installations to brighten the commuter experience as passengers descend below ground. Ivan Harbour, senior design partner at RSHP, explained the project's philosophy: "The main design goal was to create a unique, distinctive, and timeless line-wide experience, open to daylight and defined by expressive artificial lighting, for all those using the metro."
Harbour elaborated on the design approach, stating: "The design is founded on the celebration of the raw spaces and the technological overlay that together make the metro function. Human-scale, precision-engineered and crafted components are set against the backdrop of bold, exposed civil-engineering structures, forming a loose-fit definition of space that will readily absorb changing technology into the future without disrupting the spatial qualities achieved today."
Each station showcases distinct architectural character while maintaining family resemblance. Arden Station is characterized by a striking tall arched entrance lined with traditional brickwork. Parkville Station features a dramatic glazed structure topped with a pitched roof, designed specifically to maximize natural light penetration. The architects carefully integrated Anzac Station into its leafy surroundings by designing green columns that support an elegant timber canopy overhead.
The two stations located in Melbourne's central business district - State Library Station and Town Hall Station - feature cathedral-like interiors that create a sense of grandeur for urban commuters. State Library Station incorporates artwork panels strategically positioned between concrete columns, while Town Hall Station's roof is supported by distinctive tree-shaped columns that add organic elements to the underground environment.
Harbour described the relationship between the stations: "The stations are all siblings, with their own distinct character and common DNA. A tangible connection with the streets is exemplified by the creation of distinctly different principal portals, each dramatically emerging from below, drawing daylight in, and responding carefully to the station's location in the city fabric, thereby improving the urban spaces where they sit."
The Melbourne Metro Tunnel stations join a growing collection of architecturally significant subway stations worldwide. Recent notable projects include a Naples station by renowned artist Anish Kapoor featuring curved, weathering steel walls, and an "inverted skyscraper" design by Dominique Perrault Architecture. The Melbourne project demonstrates how thoughtful architectural design can transform utilitarian transit infrastructure into inspiring public spaces that enhance the daily commute experience while contributing positively to the urban landscape.
