Stratford Market Depot, Shedding Light Into A Supershed

The $31 million (£ 18.7 million) train maintenance building of the Stratford Market Depot is the award-winning creation of Chris Wilkinson Architects. This 208,000-sq.-ft. (18,720m²) supershed is a major component of the London Underground's Jubilee Line Extension. Its unique design was influenced by track formation, site restrictions, architectural considerations and a strong emphasis on natural lighting.

The $31 million (£ 18.7 million) train maintenance building of the Stratford Market Depot is the award-winning creation of Chris Wilkinson Architects. This 208,000-sq.-ft. (18,720m²) supershed is a major component of the London Underground's Jubilee Line Extension. Its unique design was influenced by track formation, site restrictions, architectural considerations and a strong emphasis on natural lighting.

"The layout of the site was largely determined by the location of archaeological remains and track layout requirements," says Wilkinson. "The remains of a medieval abbey on the eastern half of the site meant that the main buildings had to be located on the western half. Here the track alignment radii, together with the safety requirement for the tracks to straighten before entering the building, set up a 30° cut-off line for the front entrance of the building and dictated the distinctive parallelogram shape."

The 330-ft. x 600-ft. (100m x 180m) maintenance shed was designed to contain up to 11 complete trains at one time. All forms of train inspection, maintenance and repair are performed here, everything from routine cleaning to complete overhauls. It also houses an overhead crane to lift trains off the tracks, a control room, workshops and equipment stores. "The maintenance shed required an economical long-span structure with a clearance of 26-1/2 feet (8m) above the rail tracks and plenty of good daylight," says Wilkinson. Because of the vast space, strong emphasis was placed on natural lighting. "The space inside the shed is huge. It is just a functional, industrial maintenance facility, but I like to think that careful attention to detail, lightness of structure, quality of light, choice of color and materials make it a pleasant place to work."

To achieve the desired environment, the architects chose a translucent curtainwall system from Kalwall Corporation. "The south gable wall is completely clad with Kalwall," explains Wilkinson. "This is a composite fiberglass panel system which has a high 'U' value and provides a diffused light. I am delighted by the quality of light, which seems to contribute a great deal to creating the uplifting environment we wanted." The most highly insulating, diffuse-light-transmitting system available, Kalwall brings in an abundance of evenly balanced, usable light deep into the interior space.

In such a harsh environment, it was important to use durable, lasting materials. The Kalwall system is shatterproof and maintenance-free. Kalwall also stands up to the soot-laden air of the train yard. Normal rainfall literally washes the panels clean.

International Award Winner
The Stratford Market Depot is among the winners of the 1997 British Construction Industry Awards. The judges commented: "The concept of the train shed makes the best possible use of an awkwardly shaped site. Design, detailing and construction are impressive in every aspect. This is also a great tribute to the client who opted for a solution which achieves far more than mere fulfillment of functional needs. The Stratford Depot clearly demonstrates that industrial buildings can aspire to the highest standards."

Kalwall Corporation engineered and prefabricated the entire system in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S.A.

Kalwall Specifications:
Exterior face: White
Interior face: White
"U" factor: .40 (2.74 w/m²k)
Light transmission: 15%
Wind load: 32 psf (1532 Pa)

For more information, contact:

In the UK:
Stoakes Systems Ltd.
+ 44 (01)181 660 7667
Email: mailbox@stoakes.co.uk

In the US:
Bruce Keller
Kalwall Corporation
1-800-258-9777

Architect: Chris Wilkinson Architects
Structural Engineer: Hyder Consulting