When your architectural program requirements can take any
form, what will that form be? Or, when
there are no requirements, what will the form be? In a world where personal rapid transit
becomes the dominate form of ground transportation, busses no longer need to
exist, nor will taxis or light rail. PRT
capsules will pick you up at your origin;, transport you speedily to your
destination, whether that be the grocery store, an office building, a vacation
destination, hospital, or airport. But
when the station is no longer a mandatory destination, should it be an optional
destination? The very minimum
requirements for a dual-mode PRT would be a place to transition from the guide-way
(either subterranean or above ground).
Combining a PRT system, automated vehicles, and high-speed
tube-transport, it’s feasible that the terminal – or station – could be
replaced with any address you type into your smart phone – or any location you
are. For instance, you could make a request
for pickup while in line at the grocery store, and five minutes later, a PRT
capsule is waiting for you at the store, heads to the nearest tube access point,
and zips you to your next destination.
This brings us back to the original question; What does an access point look like if its only
purpose is to spit out and suck in PRT capsules? If the model of a transit station is
endangered, is there a better use for the land?
Perhaps it should be a public space with the PRT capsule entrances and
exits and not necessarily be a place that is inhabited by people.
Circulation diagram of PRT capsules
My design for a dual-mode PRT capsule
For
your enjoyment, here are some photos of architect designed vehicles.
Le Corbusier
Buckminster Fuller
Zaha Hadid
Renzo Piano
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