From ‘Hollow Earth’ conspiracy theorists to the satirical sci-fi of Jules Verne, humankind has longed to believe in the allure of ‘inner space’ – alien worlds beneath our feet, often utopian in nature, and always exotic. The 21st century reality is often a lot more mundane. Cables beneath the sea allow international commerce to flourish, and subway stations around the world are best known for accumulating the dust of the city: grimy, airless holes populated by rats and briefcase-clutching commuters.
Thankfully, a handful of city planners and architects still dare to dream. In Moscow and Madrid, Westminster and Santiago, subway bosses with one eye on the tourist trade and the other on the outlandish tales of their childhood have taken bold risks in order to grace their cities with subterranean fortresses of rare beauty and imagination. In Tokyo, one architect – who might be considered equal parts science-fiction author – developed a system he labelled the ‘Web Frame’ in order to share his design duties with computer algorithms and natural patterns. The result is Iidabashi Station, a structure so alien it might be favourably compared to the movie designs of H.R. Giger.
Infographic by: pettitts.co.uk
Thankfully, a handful of city planners and architects still dare to dream. In Moscow and Madrid, Westminster and Santiago, subway bosses with one eye on the tourist trade and the other on the outlandish tales of their childhood have taken bold risks in order to grace their cities with subterranean fortresses of rare beauty and imagination. In Tokyo, one architect – who might be considered equal parts science-fiction author – developed a system he labelled the ‘Web Frame’ in order to share his design duties with computer algorithms and natural patterns. The result is Iidabashi Station, a structure so alien it might be favourably compared to the movie designs of H.R. Giger.
