Frankston Station

The Frankston Station project delivers the OVGA competition brief that called for a building that could both satisfy the requirements of a functioning station and improve amenity, safety and wellbeing for commuters. Furthermore, the station also meets the need for a civic scale structure, that could respond to the context and revitalise central Frankston. The previous station at Frankston was a series of nondescript buildings with poor connectivity to the surrounding streets and ringed by poorly lit unsafe spaces. The design brief required an extensive redesign on a tight timeframe and construction program.

Genton re-interpreted station design principles to create a building and urban precinct that connects with surrounding streets and reflects the unique coastal identity of Frankston. The warm colours, textures and subtly curved forms are inspired by the foreshore and sand cliffs along Port Philip Bay, providing a prominent identity. Safety and pedestrian flow were enhanced by streamlining processes of alighting and embarking services, and passing through the gate line. The new station has improved the formerly disconnected public amenities, enhanced street presence and created a safer environment, through passive surveillance and open view lines from the street, towards waiting trains.

Genton’s design transformed the station precinct and the experience of commuters, tourists and local. The previous station at Frankston was a series of nondescript buildings with poor connectivity to the surrounding streets and ringed by poorly lit unsafe spaces. The new design opens and connects spaces providing passive surveillance and increasing safety. Commuters can now arrive and depart with increased comfort and enjoy unique moments as they progress through the station, from glimpses of sky to planting beside the seats on the platform. Visitors to Frankston are now welcomed with a sense of arrival to coastal location.

• Sustainable design features including the station building and canopy rainwater collection system which is used for irrigation of the planting in the forecourt and on the platform itself. The canopy and screen provide solar shading to the entry and station platform from a height that blocks the hottest Western sun while still allowing for ventilation through the station. • Cost-effective measures were used throughout the design, including multi-functional design elements, durable and contextual material strategy, prefabrication off site, on-platform planting, and steel construction resulting in rapid construction. • Using creativity to turn functional/standard elements, such as the station canopy and station entry, into Architectural icons. • Frankston Station is the first new station to have on-platform planting that references the local landscape. • The station was delivered in an alliance structure. In order to push the ambitious vision forward, close collaboration was employed with all stakeholders very early in the design process. This enabled the sharing of ideas and a reduction in the number of design iterations.