Foster + Partners and Arup have announced the first four designs for the hotly anticipated California High-Speed Rail as part of a series of open house sessions currently being undertaken with key stakeholders across the state’s Central Valley region. The first set of designs will stand as models for all future nodes in the 500-mile linkage that connects San Francisco to Los Angeles/Orange County. 

Construction is underway, and planners expect to have the first operable line readied between 2030 and 2033 after years of financing issues and a recent multibillion-dollar boost from the federal government. 

Stefan Behling, the Head of Studio at Foster + Partners, said: “We are developing an architectural language for the four Central Valley stations, including soaring canopies that draw in fresh air and shield waiting passengers from harsh sunlight. The station design reflects the sustainable ethos of the wider project.”

Meg Cederoth, the Authority Director of Planning and Sustainability, added: “In the Central Valley, we are engaging with the communities to identify station-site activities that will spur economic growth and a sense of community.”

This is how the architectural team describes their station designs:

Merced

"Building on the historical link between Merced and Yosemite Valley, this city with a rapidly growing university and college will benefit from high-speed rail connections to the Central Valley and the future connection to the San Francisco Bay Area. The new Merced station will incorporate a pedestrian bridge crossing over freight tracks that currently divide the city. The crossing will align with the existing city grid, directly connecting downtown with the station concourse and will significantly improve pedestrian flows across Merced. A new flexible outdoor plaza, on 16th Street, will provide a local community space and activate the station."

Fresno

"The Fresno station will reconnect downtown and Chinatown, via an elevated pedestrian crossing that restores the city grid along Mariposa Street. Available to use throughout the day and night, the crossing will create a public connection between these two parts of the city and will act as a catalyst for future economic growth and investment in Chinatown. Landscaped plazas on either side of the crossing will provide new community spaces for early activation. The high-speed rail station site will also incorporate the restoration of the historic depot."

Kings Tulare

"A short distance away from the city of Hanford, the Kings Tulare station is designed to create a streamlined experience for those arriving by bus, car, or bicycle. The elevated platforms and protective canopy will be added to the Hanford viaduct currently under construction. All of the station’s services and amenities will be located directly below, creating an easy and intuitive passenger journey. The adjacent public plaza will serve as a local community asset."

Bakersfield

"The Bakersfield station will be the southern terminus of California High-Speed Rail’s Central Valley initial segment, with future connections already planned to Los Angeles and Anaheim to the south. The design creates a linear park that runs underneath a new viaduct, directly connecting downtown Bakersfield and the Kern River Corridor with a variety of shaded outdoor public spaces and recreation facilities. Looking ahead, there are plans for a transit-oriented development adjacent to the viaduct from the river corridor all the way to Chester Avenue."