The Challenge Just a stone’s throw from the Etihad Stadium, home to Man City Football Club, Manchester Metrolink station is following the growing trend for using fabric as a building medium to provide creative lighting and shelter for passengers. Shelter and lighting were the main criteria for designing the lozenge-shaped tensile fabric platform canopies. DEK Architects’ vision for 2 ‘flying saucer’ like structures illuminating the platform, needed to comply with rail safety regulations as well as provide ambient and practical lighting for passengers. The light source had to be contained within the fabric structures to prevent night glare, which could distract train drivers. Internal drainage to catch water run-off, was also crucial to maintaining the visual impact of the platform shelter.

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