This is the design of the Canada Line's new Capstan Station (RENDERINGS)

This is the proposed design of the Canada Line's new Capstan Station (RENDERINGS)

Artistic rendering of Capstan Station. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects & Designers/TransLink)

A bold and striking architectural design concept is planned for SkyTrain’s future Capstan Station in North Richmond.

TransLink has revealed the proposed concept for the additional Canada Line station that will be located at the northeast corner of the intersection of No. 3 Road and Capstan Way — roughly midway between Bridgeport and Aberdeen stations.

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The new station design is an evolution of the existing look and feel of the Canada Line’s three other stations along No. 3 Road, building on the modular design and use of wood. It is envisioned as a pavilion that is fully glazed on three sides to provide views through the building.

Artistic rendering of Capstan Station. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects & Designers/TransLink)

As well, the high-quality design offers upgraded circulation and amenities to improve the passenger experience, including significantly larger circulation spaces within the station, up and down escalators to each platform, bright lighting, and a highly visible commercial retail unit space beside the ticketing concourse and the station’s single south-facing entrance. The retail unit will have a separate entrance outside of the fare gates.

Public art, such as a colourful murals on the walls of the escalator vertical circulation, will also be incorporated.

The platform will be built to the Canada Line’s ultimate 50-metre length standard to allow for the future accommodation of longer three-car trains. Most stations on the Canada Line — including Aberdeen, Lansdowne, and Bridgeport stations — are currently built to the 40-metre standard, but they are designed to allow for an extension of 10 metres to reach 50 metres.

Artistic rendering of Capstan Station. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects & Designers/TransLink)

The station is surrounded by a new public realm that is guided by the City of Richmond’s separate project, which includes a transit plaza, outdoor public art, and connections and integration to the adjacent public park and developments.

Perkins & Will prepared the design concept, and the Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects & Designers was retained to undertake the detailed design.

The public can comment on the design concept in an online survey for one week from now until November 23.

Artistic rendering of Capstan Station. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects & Designers/TransLink)

This additional station for the Canada Line is largely funded by the City of Richmond through a development levy collected on each condominium unit built within the Capstan Village area. The city began collecting the levy after reaching an agreement with TransLink in 2012 to build the station.

As of December 2019, the municipal government has transferred $31 million it has raised from developers for the planning and full construction cost of the station.

The municipal government will spend another $500,000 for the station’s public realm improvements.

Artistic rendering of Capstan Station. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects & Designers/TransLink)

Capstan Station is pursued by the city to serve the new high-density Capstan Village neighbourhood, which is expected to have over 6,000 homes with up to 16,000 residents upon the area’s full completion. The area’s major developers include Concord Pacific, Polygon, Pinnacle Internatinoal, and Yuangheng.

Early works construction is expected to begin in Spring 2021, and the station design will be completed by Summer 2021. Construction on the station is expected to reach substantial completion in late 2022 for an opening sometime in early 2023.

Artistic rendering of Capstan Station. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects & Designers/TransLink)

There are three other potential future station locations along the Canada Line, where the track is designed to allow for a future station location.

This includes 33rd Avenue west of Queen Elizabeth Park and 57th Avenue next to Onni Group’s Pearson Dogwood redevelopment and Concert Properties’ Langara Gardens redevelopment, but both of these underground station locations face far higher construction costs and engineering complexities.

Another future station location is on Sea Island, immediately east of the track switch where the dual track transitions into a single track towards YVR Airport Station. This future station is intended to serve a future eastward terminal building expansion of Vancouver International Airport.

Capstan Station will be the second time that TransLink has built a station on an existing SkyTrain line. Lake City Way Station was completed in November 2003, nearly two years after the opening of the Millennium Line.

Artistic rendering of Capstan Station. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects & Designers/TransLink)

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