Bencoolen MRT station

Bencoolen MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the Downtown Line (DTL) located at the boundary of Rochor and Museum planning areas, Singapore. Located under Bencoolen Street, the station serves primarily the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and surrounding developments. At 43 metres (141 ft) below street level, it is currently the deepest station in Singapore.

 DT21 
Bencoolen
明古连
பென்கூலன்
Bencoolen
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
Exit B of Bencoolen station along Bencoolen Street
Location31 Bencoolen Street
Singapore 189658
Coordinates1°17′56″N 103°51′1″E
Operated bySBS Transit DTL (ComfortDelGro Corporation)
Line(s)
  Downtown Line
Platforms2 (1 island platform)
Tracks2
Connections CC2  Bras Basah, Bus, Taxi
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Depth43 metres
Platform levels1
Disabled accessYes
History
Opened21 October 2017 (2017-10-21)
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesWaterloo[1][2]
Services
Preceding station   Mass Rapid Transit   Following station
towards Bukit Panjang
Downtown Line
towards Expo
Location
Bencoolen
Bencoolen station in Singapore

The station was first announced in August 2010 when the DTL Stage 3 (DTL3) stations were revealed. The construction of the station and the tunnels was one of the most challenging projects on the DTL, due to its location in a narrow site and the need for the DTL tunnels to avoid the existing operational tunnels. The station was completed on 21 October 2017, alongside the revamping of Bencoolen Street above the station.

History
Entrance to the construction site in September 2013
Platform level of the station at a depth of 43m

On 20 August 2010, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that Bencoolen station would be part of the 21-kilometre (13 mi) Downtown Line Stage 3, consisting of 16 stations between the River Valley (now Fort Canning) and Expo stations. The line was expected to be completed in 2017.[3][4][5] Contract 936 for the design and construction of Bencoolen station and associated tunnels was awarded to Sato Kogyo (S) Pte Ltd at a sum of S$177.58 million in April 2011. Construction of the station and the tunnels commenced in the second quarter of that year and was targeted to be completed in 2017.[6]

The station and associated tunnels were constructed next to the operational tunnels of the CCL and NSL and underneath various commercial developments; hence the need to construct the station at a deep depth of 43 metres (141 ft).[7][8][9] Various instruments were used to monitor the live tunnels to ensure the construction of the DTL tunnels did not impact the train operations.[7][10] To maximise efficiency and reduce the risks of the construction, the geology along the tunnels from Fort Canning to Bencoolen was analysed and the tunnel boring machines' cutter heads were changed at strategic places.[10]

The geology of the station site was composed of soft soil overlaying a thick boulder bed.[11] Due to the very tough ground conditions, mechanical and chemical means were adopted to break down the boulders.[7] To minimise inconvenience to the residents of the surrounding buildings, working hours were restricted. The LTA and contractors cooperated with the hotels and surrounding developments to deal with noise and environmental problems.[11]

As there is limited space, a portion of Bencoolen Street was closed to traffic from Prinsep Link to Bras Basah Road from 16 October 2011 to 10 December 2016.[12] The road was reinstated as a one-way street after the construction, with pedestrian and cyclist-friendly facilities along the street.[8][13] During the construction, on 3 March 2017, a burst pipe caused a flood at the station. The water was immediately drained away and the valve was turned off within 15 minutes.[14]

On 31 May 2017, the LTA announced that the station, together with the rest of DTL3, will be opened on 21 October that year.[8][15][16] Passengers were offered a preview of the station along with the other Downtown Line 3 (DTL 3) stations at the DTL 3 Open House on 15 October.[17]

Station details

Services

Bencoolen station serves the Downtown line (DTL) and is situated between the Fort Canning and Jalan Besar stations. The station code is DT21 as reflected on official maps.[18] The station operates between 6:06 am and 12:12 am daily,[19] with headways of 2 to 5 minutes.[20] The station also has an unpaid link to the nearby Bras Basah station on the Circle line (CCL).[8]

Location

Situated underneath Bencoolen Street near the junction with Bras Basah Road, the station serves the educational institutions of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore Management University (SMU) and the Manulife Centre.[8][19] The station also serves the retail developments of Parklane Shopping Centre, Peace Centre and Sunshine Plaza.[19] The station is also close to the religious institutions of Kwan Im Temple, Sri Krishnan Temple, Maghain Aboth Synagogue and Masjid Bencoolen.[8][19]

Station design
Exit A of the station integrated with the NAFA campus.
The interior of the station with curved walls in earth-tone colours.

The six-level underground station is 43 metres (141 ft) below ground and is currently the deepest station on the MRT network, surpassing the Promenade DTL station by 1 metre (3.3 feet).[7] The station and the tunnels' depth is to avoid the existing infrastructures at the surface and the other rail tunnels in the way of the alignment.[7][10] The station, designed by Aedas, is only 22-metre (72 ft) wide and 140-metre (460 ft) long, as the space between the buildings along the street is just 25-metre (82 ft) wide.[7]

The station has three entrances.[8] Exit A of the station is integrated with the NAFA Tower Block above the station and the underpass link to the SMU.[7][8] The station was constructed in tandem with the construction of NAFA's fourth campus. The integration allows students to access the campus easily regardless of the weather conditions.[21] Exit B has a glass and frame retro-design to harmonise with the colonial image of Hoel Rendezvous near the station.[7]

The interior walls are curvilinear that resembles canyon walls, while the earth-tone colours were used to represent the many layers of the soil,[22] emphasising the depth of space.[7] The glass walls of the passenger lifts are tinted in maroon, such that a descent to the platforms reflects a descent to the Earth's core, enhancing the commuters' experience in the station.[7][22]

At the surface, Bencoolen Street has been transformed into an enhanced pedestrian walkway.[13][23] Two of the four lanes have been permanently closed to make way for a community space, which includes a wide footpath for pedestrians and a dedicated bicycle lane. The transformation was part of Singapore's government Walk-Cycle-Ride initiative, which was aimed to make the country "car-lite" and allow more opportunities to walk and cycle.[24] One of the remaining lanes on the street is now a dedicated bus lane[25] to facilitate efficient bus services.[13]

Designed to be pedestrian-friendly, there are sheltered linkways from the station to the surrounding developments.[13] The surface structures of the station (the entrances and vent shafts) were placed in such a way to preserve the buildings' facades while establishing a "vibrant, comfortable" walking environment above ground.[7] The street also features seven "funky" benches designed by students and alumni through a competition held by NAFA.[21] Various bench designs include a dog-shaped double-level bench, another shaped like a cat on its back, and animal-shaped branches made of fibreglass.[21] These benches are intended to inject a touch of innovation to the streetscape.[13] A total of 125 bicycle parking lots are installed at various places along the street.[13][25][26]

Station artwork

Commissioned as part of the MRT system's Art-in-Transit programme,[lower-alpha 1] the station features an artwork Tracing Memories drawn by NAFA students.[27] The artwork consists of two massive murals, each featuring six figures linked together by a thread.[28] Taking inspiration from the local community, the students gathered 800 original photographs of buildings, objects and people that will form the bodies.[22][27][28] The figures subtly directs commuters to the two different colleges around the station:[27] Those with laptops points towards SMU, while those with art materials indicates the way to NAFA.[22][29]

Notes and references

Notes
  1. Public art showcase which integrates artworks into the MRT network

References
  1. "Downtown Line 3 Station Names Shortlisted for Public Polling". www.lta.gov.sg. 1 June 2011. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
  2. "Downtown Line 3 Station Names Finalised". www.lta.gov.sg. 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013.
  3. "Downtown Line 3 Station Locations Unveiled Faster Access for Residents in the East to the City and Marina Bay Area". www.lta.gov.sg. 20 August 2010. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
  4. "Alignment of DTL3" (PDF). www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  5. "DTL Station Locations" (PDF). www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
  6. "LTA Awards Contracts for MacPherson and Bencoolen stations | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". www.lta.gov.sg. 29 April 2011. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016.
  7. "C936 Bencoolen Station". Construction Plus Asia. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  8. "LTA | News Room | News Releases | Factsheet: Downtown Line 3 to Open on 21 October 2017". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  9. "The longest underground and driverless MRT line open its tracks". Arup. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  10. Feng 2017, p. 48.
  11. Feng 2017, p. 68.
  12. "Temporary closure of Bencoolen Street between Prinsep Link and Bras Basah Road". www.lta.gov.sg. Land Transport Authority. 13 October 2011. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
  13. "News Room - News Releases - Bencoolen Street Gets a Car-lite Makeover". www.lta.gov.sg. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  14. "Burst pipe causes flooding at Bencoolen MRT station". The Straits Times. 6 March 2017. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  15. Alkhatib, Shaffiq Idris (21 October 2017). "Downtown Line 3 opens to public". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  16. "Opening of Downtown Line Stage 3". The Straits Times. The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  17. "News Room - News Releases - It's Rail Fun at the Downtown Line 3 Open House on 15 October!". www.lta.gov.sg. 10 August 2017. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  18. "MRT System Map" (PDF). Land Transport Authority (LTA). Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  19. "Train Service Information". SBSTransit. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  20. "Transport Tools - MRT/LRT". www.lta.gov.sg. 6 May 2020. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  21. Feng 2017, p. 133.
  22. Feng 2017, p. 156.
  23. "Better Connectivity for All". Urban Redevelopment Authority. 12 December 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  24. Feng 2017, p. 132.
  25. "Pedestrian-friendly facilities for redesigned Bencoolen Street". TODAYonline. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  26. Abdullah, Zhaki (22 March 2017). "New Bencoolen Street unveiled". The Straits Times. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  27. "Getting Around - Public Transport - A Better Public Transport Experience - Art in Transit". www.lta.gov.sg. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  28. Sajan, Chantal (29 February 2020). "Bencoolen station: Bonding through good design". The Straits Times. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  29. "Art-in-Transit". SBSTransit. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.

Bibliography
  • Feng, Zengkun (2017). Downtown Line: Soaring to new heights. Singapore: Straits Times Press Pte Ltd. ISBN 978-981-4747-66-0. OCLC 1003852882.
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