King’s Cross Station – a more human design

David Watts, Managing Director, CCD Design

Introduction

• History of King’s Cross Station

• The redevelopment of King’s Cross

• Role of human factors in the scheme

• The user in the design

History of King’s Cross Station

• Opened in 1852

• Southern terminus for East Coast Main Line

• Design by Lewis Cubitt

• Roof modelled on riding school at Tsar’s Gardens in Moscow

The need to redevelop the station

• Congested & overcrowded

• Increasing passenger numbers

• Temporary concourse not fit

• Urban platforms not right

• Lack of train capacity

• Lack of retail - £££

• Integration with revised tube station

• New St Pancras next door

• 2012 Olympics won

Redevelopment Project Timeline

• 2005 - project started to redevelop the station

• 2009 – restoration of eastern buildings complete

• 2010 – new Platform 0 opened

• 2011 – restoration of the main roof

• 2012 – new concourse opened – 19 March

• 2013 – new public square opens on site of old concourse

Station overview

Station Layout

New Concourse

New Concourse

New Concourse

Upper level for retail & seating

Public Square

Project Description

Key Points

• Redevelopment in a heritage environment

• Constraints in timescales & delivery – ready for the Olympics

• It’s an operational station

• Iconic architecture

• Improvement in the ambience – High spaces

– Segregation of retail & seating

– Lighter environment

– Retain connection with the history of the building

• Vast improvement…

• …but only a step forward

CCD’s role

• Assuring that the human user had been considered in the design

• Framework for assurance in Ergonomics Integration Plan

• Identified all areas affecting passengers & operations

• Identified ergonomics themes for each area

• Assurance method – Delivery Team Champion

– Evidence provided by delivery team

– Compliance Matrix

– Walkarounds

– Certification

Areas identified with human interface

• Platforms

• Concourses

• Retail

• Ticket gates

• Ticket vending machines

• Waiting areas

• Information points

• Ticket office

• Footbridge, lifts, escalators

• Call points

• Public address

• Train information displays

• Train departing information

• Control room

• Dockmaster office

• Station CCTV

• Public address

• BMS

• Radio/phone comms systems

• Staff accommodation

• Train crew accommodation

• Lifts

Ergonomics themes within each area

• User management

• Passenger flow

• Disability Discrimination

• Wayfinding

• Environment – lighting, acoustics, thermal

• Operational philosophy

• Job design, workload, training

• Health & safety

• Emergency processes

• Maintenance

Passenger Flow & Accumulation Areas

Wayfinding & Passenger Flow

• Scenario based evaluation – Family eating in Burger King and realise they are late for their train on

Platform 1

– Passenger arrives at entrance and wants to meet colleague in the 1st Class Lounge

• Lessons learnt – Walkthroughs key to understanding inter-relationship between signs

Wayfinding & Platforms 9-11

• Visual connection on concourse

Crowd management

• Operational need vs desired behaviour

• Commuter behaviour – “the race for a seat”

• KX: stay on the concourse – limited info past barrier

• Keeping passengers off the footbridge

Footbridge – Signage & Passenger Behaviour

• On bridge signs

• Platform signs

• No large signs

Platform Access

• Relationship with layout of East Coast Trains – 1st Class Lounge and 1st Class carriages

1st Class Lounge

1st Class Carriages

Concourse – separation of main retail

Ambiguous public seating on mezzanine

Ticket Gates

• Important for revenue protection

• Anything positive for passenger experience?

• Operation key to making it work – Staffing

– Training

– Philosophy of operation

Ticket Office

• Example of working with the architecture of the old building

• Presents an acoustically challenging environment

Control Room

• Heritage features

• Working environment

• Design of HCI

Summary

• Significant improvement in ambiance for passengers

• Improvements in operational environment

• World class station now

• Constrained with delivery and heritage environment

• Good design plus assurance on details has delivered

• Advance for passenger experience…

• …but no significant step change or innovation

CCD Design & Ergonomics Ltd

95 Southwark Street | London | SE1 0HX

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7593 2900

www.ccd.org.uk