Designing a new train line and stations is no mean feat. For months, architects and designers have been gathering information and insights to guide their designs for the Morley-Ellenbrook Line.

Before the first big pieces of equipment get on site to start main construction, months of detailed design work must be completed.

Since MELconnx were awarded the contract in October 2020, the team have been busy building on the concept designs released in mid-2020, to start filling in the technical and architectural detail for each station and the rail in between.

As the station designs become more finalised, development applications will be lodged with the WA Planning Commission and relevant local government for approval. These will be available for public comment online at the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage website.

To support this and to continue our aim of obtaining early community feedback, the project team will host an information drop-in sessions and pop-ups in local shopping centres.

Future pop-up dates will be announced on our Morley-Ellenbrook Line Community Group Facebook Page.

The first two stations are expected to be submitted for development application in mid-2021.

Introducing our design team

Leading architect Fred Chaney, who is the Morley-Ellenbrook Line Project Director - Architecture and Station Precincts, has described Morley-Ellenbrook as an “ideal project.”

“It’s really rare for an architect to get an opportunity to work on a city-building project and this is at that kind of scale; it’s a major infrastructure piece, not just for that particular part of the city, but for the whole city,” he said.

“It’s a community-building piece as well around each of the station precincts. At a certain level it’s almost my ideal project really, as an architect, I’m really interested in the public sphere and how we can contribute to community-building in this city.

Fred said he felt an obligation to create warm, welcoming and safe places where both passengers and community members are invited to linger.

“The principles of good urban design and passive surveillance and public spaces are really critical; it’s also about creating comfortable spaces all the way through the process and the experience, so standing on the platform, entering the station, coming out of the station needs to be a comfortable experience for passengers,” he said.

Fred said while it was a bit too early to talk in detail about the specifics of the station plans he said a lot of thought will go into choosing materials and colours that matched the station’s surrounds and created warmth and a sense of welcome.

“It’s about taking you in and getting you down the line, it’s a place where, if you’re spending 15 minutes waiting for the train, it’s also a good environment to be in – one where you feel welcome, safe and comfortable,” he said.