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Orchard MRT station

Coordinates: 01°18′11″N 103°49′53″E / 1.30306°N 103.83139°E / 1.30306; 103.83139
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This article is about the interchange station on the North South and Thomson–East Coast lines. For the Thomson–East Coast line station, see Orchard Boulevard MRT station.

 NS22  TE14 
Orchard
乌节
ஆர்ச்சர்ட்
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange
The station entrance at ground level
Exit 13 of Orchard station
General information
Location437 Orchard Road
Singapore 238878 (NSL)
301 Orchard Boulevard
Singapore 237974 (TEL)
Coordinates01°18′11″N 103°49′53″E / 1.30306°N 103.83139°E / 1.30306; 103.83139
Owned byLand Transport Authority
Operated bySMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation)
Line(s)
  North–South Line
  Thomson–East Coast Line
Platforms4 (2 island platforms)
Tracks5 (including a track siding for the northbound TEL platform)
ConnectionsBus, Taxi
Construction
Structure typeUnderground
Platform levels1
ParkingYes (Ngee Ann City, Wisma Atria, Tangs, ION Orchard)
AccessibleYes
History
Opened12 December 1987; 36 years ago (1987-12-12) (North South line)
13 November 2022; 1 year ago (2022-11-13) (Thomson–East Coast line)[1]
ElectrifiedYes
Previous namesScotts, Orchard Boulevard
Passengers
June 202459,165 per day[2]
Services
Preceding station Mass Rapid Transit Following station
Newton
towards Jurong East
 North–South Line Somerset
towards Marina South Pier
Orchard Boulevard
towards Woodlands North
 Thomson–East Coast Line Great World
towards Bayshore
Location
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Singapore MRT/LRT system map
Orchard
Orchard station in Singapore

Orchard MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station in Singapore, on the North South (NSL) and Thomson–East Coast (TEL) lines. Situated along Orchard Boulevard and underneath ION Orchard, the station serves various commercial and retail developments of the Orchard Road shopping district, including Liat Towers, Ngee Ann City, Wheelock Place, Wisma Atria and Shaw House, among others.

Initially announced as Scotts MRT station, it was renamed Orchard Boulevard and subsequently Orchard. The station was included in the early plans for the original MRT network in 1982, and opened as part of the NSL extension to Outram Park station on 12 December 1987. In August 2012, it was announced that Orchard station would serve as an interchange with the TEL. Initially expected to be completed in 2021, the TEL platforms opened on 13 November 2022 as part of TEL Stage 3 (TEL3).

The design of Orchard station was intended as a showpiece of the initial MRT network, incorporating a circular concourse with a radial granite floor design. The TEL platforms feature an overhead series of stainless steel panels that reflects the movements of commuters. As part of the MRT network's Art-in-Transit programme, the station features Scotts Road / Orchard Road from ION Sky by Mintio.

History

[edit]

North South Line

[edit]
The NSL platform of the station, with a platform screen door
Orchard NSL platforms

What was then known as Scotts station was devised as part of the earliest plans for the MRT network in May 1982.[3] Scotts was renamed Orchard Boulevard in November that year,[4] before the station name was finalised as Orchard station in September 1984.[5] Orchard station was to be constructed as part of the Phase I MRT segment from the Novena to Outram Park stations,[6] which was scheduled to be completed by December 1987.[7]Phase I was given priority as it passed through areas that had a higher demand for public transport, such as the densely populated housing estates of Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio and the Central Area. The line aimed to relieve the traffic congestion on the Thomson–Sembawang road corridor.[8][9]

The contract for the construction of Orchard station and 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) of tunnels from Newton to Somerset stations was awarded to a joint venture between Borie SAE and Ong Chwee Kou Building Contractors Limited for S$78.8 million (US$109.2 million in 2022) in October 1983. The station was to be constructed on the site of the former Orchard Road police station.[10] On 10 May 1984, Orchard Turn, a slip road connecting Orchard Boulevard to Orchard Road, was realigned to facilitate MRT construction works.[11]

Train services commenced on 12 December 1987 when the MRT extension to Outram Park station was completed.[12][13] The station was part of a route that ran continuously from Yishun station in the north to Lakeside station in the west. On 28 October 1989, it began serving the North South line (NSL) when MRT operations were split.[14][a] A linkway to the Tangs department store opened on 18 June 1991, following a delay due to a dispute between developers of Tangs and the Public Works Department.[16] British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visited Orchard station on 31 July 1988 as part of her official trip to Singapore.[17][18]

Thomson–East Coast Line

[edit]
Cranes and construction machinery at an excavated construction site
Construction site of the TEL station in April 2021

Orchard station was announced as an interchange station with the planned 22-station Thomson line (TSL) on 29 August 2012.[19][20] The contract for the design and construction of the TEL and associated tunnels was awarded to a joint venture between Penta-Ocean Construction Co Ltd and Bachy Soletanche Singapore Pte Ltd for S$498 million (US$371.6 million) in July 2014. Construction started in 2014, with a completion date initially set for 2021.[21][22]

On 15 August 2014, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that the TSL would merge with the Eastern Region line to form the Thomson–East Coast line (TEL). Orchard station was set to be constructed as part of TEL 3, which consisted of 13 stations between Mount Pleasant and Gardens by the Bay.[23][24] With restrictions imposed on the delivery of material and manpower for the station's construction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the TEL3 completion date was delayed by one year to 2022.[25]

The pipe-roofing method was used to construct the linkway between the TEL and NSL platforms. Installing the interlocking steel pipes to form a box tunnel required the first use of a retractable micro-tunnel boring machine in Singapore.[26] This method was used to minimise impacts on traffic and on building structures above ground.[27] The new box structure underneath the existing NSL station was constructed via the mining and underpinning method, employing specialised equipment that could drill in limited spaces and all directions.[26] The LTA had to coordinate with station operator SMRT to minimise disruptions to NSL operations,[27] with mining works carried out strictly according to approved designs and methods.[26]

On 9 March 2022, S. Iswaran, Transport Minister, announced in Parliament that TEL 3 would open in the second half of that year.[28] As confirmed during a visit by Iswaran at the Outram Park and Maxwell stations on 7 October 2022,[1][29][30] the TEL platforms began operations on 13 November.[31]

Details

[edit]
An entrance to Orchard station at street level
An entrance into Orchard station adjacent to Tangs

Orchard station is an interchange station on the NSL and TEL; the official station code is NS22/TE14. On the NSL, the station is between Newton and Somerset stations, while on the TEL, it is between Orchard Boulevard and Great World stations.[32] Trains on the NSL run every 2 to 5 minutes,[33] while trains on the TEL run approximately every 3 to 6 minutes.[34] Being part of the NSL and TEL, the station is operated by SMRT Trains.[35]

Located along Orchard Boulevard, the station has thirteen entrances that serve various retail and commercial developments in the Orchard area.[36] The station serves surrounding shopping centres including Far East Plaza, ION Orchard, Liat Towers, Lucky Plaza, Shaw House, Tang Plaza, Wisma Atria, Wheelock Place and Ngee Ann City, along with other landmarks such as Mount Elizabeth Hospital and the Royal Thai Embassy.[37]

Architecture

[edit]

North–South Line

[edit]
A grey-clad circular entrance at street level, now demolished
A former entrance to the station that existed from 1987 until 2006, later demolished for the ION Orchard shopping mall

The station incorporates a general colour scheme of pink, red and grey.[38][39] Intended to be the "showpiece" of the MRT system, the Orchard NSL station adopted a "bold" design, since it was to be the focal point of the tourist belt. As such, symmetrical and circular motifs were incorporated into the design,[40] which included a dome over the station's circular concourse—the heart of the station's design.[41][42] Supported by cylindrical columns, the dome was 11.5 metres (38 ft) in diameter with a height of 5.5 metres (18 ft), consisting of 160 triangular panels in grey.[41] However, the dome was removed on 15 January 2008 with the ION Orchard development.[43][44] The concourse has a radial granite floor design in specially-cut concentric pattern produced with the juxtaposition of two varieties of granite.[42][39]

Two elliptical voids provide access from the concourse to the platforms.[42] Like many stations on the initial MRT network, the NSL station has an island platform.[45] Due to space constraints resulting in a smaller station box, the mechanical rooms are located within the public area of the platforms.[40]

Thomson–East Coast Line

[edit]
Symmetrical view of the TEL station with stainless steel panels on the roof
Concourse level of Orchard TEL station

Designed by SAA Architecture, the TEL station was intended to remain a distinctive transport hub in the Orchard shopping district while being integrated with the existing NSL station and surrounding developments. To improve wayfinding, the walls of the linkway to the NSL station were adorned in red and white pixelated prints, with the station platform and concourse in various shades of red. The stainless steel panels on the station ceiling reflect the constant movement of commuters, symbolising the vibrancy of the Orchard area. To blend into natural surroundings and minimise the impact on heritage trees, the five additional entrances of the TEL station were built into slopes and kept at a low height.[46] The TEL station was constructed at a depth of 30 metres (98 ft).[47]

Scotts Road and Orchard Road from ION Sky by Mintio are displayed at this station as part of the Art-in-Transit programme—a showcase of public artworks on the MRT network.[48] Scotts Road is a panoramic photo captured from ground level depicting the street. Displayed across the concourse level, the photo is created using a single roll of film with multiple exposures, providing commuters a glimpse of the vibrant shopping district.[49] Another piece featured in the station, Orchard Road from ION Sky, depicts the abstraction of night lights taken from the highest point of Orchard Road (ION Sky).[48]

References

[edit]

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ The MRT system was split into EWL (running from Tanah Merah station to Lakeside) and the NSL (running from Yishun station to Marina Bay).[15]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Yeoh, Grace (7 October 2022). "11 Thomson-East Coast Line stations to open on Nov 13; free rides available on Nov 11". Channel NewsAsia. Mediacorp. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Land Transport DataMall". Datamall. Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Proposed MRT stations". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 23 May 1982. p. 1 – via NewspaperSG.
  4. ^ "Station names will reflect their localities". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 30 November 1982. p. 7 – via NewspaperSG.
  5. ^ "Six stations are renamed and others moved". The Straits Times. 21 September 1984. p. 10 – via NewspaperSG.
  6. ^ "Project to go on line in three stages". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 8 July 1986. p. 8 – via NewspaperSG.
  7. ^ "MRT system to be implemented in eight stages". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 9 April 1987. p. 30 – via NewspaperSG.
  8. ^ Annual report. Singapore: Provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority. 1983. p. 5.
  9. ^ Dhaliwal, Rav (29 August 1982). "North-south line off first". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 1 – via NewspaperSG.
  10. ^ Raj, Conrad (1 October 1983). "Local firm gets a slice of MRT deal". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 1 – via NewspaperSG.
  11. ^ "New slip road at Orchard Bivd". Singapore Monitor. 11 May 1984. p. 16 – via NewspaperSG.
  12. ^ "20 stations by next year". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 6 November 1987 – via NewspaperSG.
  13. ^ Rav, Dhaliwal (12 December 1987). "Shopping for Xmas the MRT way..." The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings – via NewspaperSG.
  14. ^ "MRT transfers will begin this Saturday". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 24 October 1989. p. 3. Retrieved 13 September 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
  15. ^ "Easy MRT train transfers – with colour code guide". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 20 September 1989 – via NewspaperSG.
  16. ^ Tan, Cephah (18 June 1991). "Orchard Station-Tangs underpass opens". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 3 – via NewspaperSG.
  17. ^ "Thatcher due in for 2-Day Visit". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 31 July 1988. p. 1 – via NewspaperSG.
  18. ^ Kong, Sook Chin (1 August 1988). "Thatcher Reaches out to Admirers". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 17 – via NewspaperSG.
  19. ^ Sim, Royston (29 August 2012). "New Thomson MRT line to open from 2019, and have 22 stations". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Thomson Line to open from 2019 with 22 stations". Channel NewsAsia (CNA). 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  21. ^ Tan, Christopher (25 July 2014). "Last major civil contracts for Thomson line awarded". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  22. ^ "Thomson Line Construction in Full Swing". Land Transport Authority. 25 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  23. ^ "Joint News Release by the Land Transport Authority & Singapore Land Authority – Thomson-East Coast Line: New MRT Links in the East". Land Transport Authority. 19 August 2014. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  24. ^ "Thomson–East Coast Line". Land Transport Authority. 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  25. ^ "Written Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung to Parliamentary Question on Updates on Thomson East Coast Line, Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line". mot.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  26. ^ a b c "LTA | News Room | News Releases | Factsheet: Thomson-East Coast Line's Orchard Station: Challenges in Constructing the Platform Link". Land Transport Authority. 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  27. ^ a b Abdullah, Zhaki (13 July 2018). "New Orchard station's underground passage a major engineering feat, say LTA bosses". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  28. ^ Yeoh, Grace (9 March 2022). "11 more Thomson-East Coast stations to open in the second half of 2022; more 'inclusive' changes for vulnerable commuters". CNA. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  29. ^ Yong, Clement (7 October 2022). "11 new TEL stations, from Stevens to Gardens by the Bay, to open on Nov 13; free rides on Nov 11". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  30. ^ "Factsheet: Thomson – East Coast Line Stage 3 to Open for Passenger Service from 13 November 2022". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  31. ^ Lim, Jessie (13 November 2022). "Stations buzzing on first day of operations for third stage of Thomson-East Coast Line". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  32. ^ "MRT System Map" (PDF). Land Transport Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  33. ^ "Transport Tools – MRT/LRT". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  34. ^ "LTA | MRT/LRT". www.lta.gov.sg. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  35. ^ "Getting Around – Public Transport – Rail Network". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  36. ^ "Orchard – Map". SMRT Journeys. SMRT Corporation. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  37. ^ "Orchard – Exits". SMRT Journeys. SMRT Corporation. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  38. ^ "Architect's striking colour scheme for station". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 8 April 1987. p. 17 – via NewspaperSG.
  39. ^ a b "Orchard station will be $24 m showpiece". The Straits Times. Singapore. 12 November 1986. p. 13. Retrieved 12 May 2020 – via NewspaperSG.
  40. ^ a b MRTC 1987, p. 53.
  41. ^ a b "Orchard station's dome unveiled". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. 5 April 1987. p. 14.
  42. ^ a b c MRTC 1987, p. 54.
  43. ^ Lim, Wei Chean (15 January 2008). "New access for Orchard MRT station". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 27.
  44. ^ Koh, Jinny (15 January 2008). "Enter Orchard MRT in style". Today. Mediacorp. p. 6 – via NewspaperSG.
  45. ^ Dhaliwal, Rav (28 April 1987). "Getting to know the network and how it will work". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. p. 19 – via NewspaperSG.
  46. ^ "Orchard Station". SAA Architects. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  47. ^ Orchard Station (Infographic poster at TSL Project Information Centre). Singapore: Land Transport Authority. 2021.
  48. ^ a b "Art in Transit". Land Transport Authority. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  49. ^ Yong, Clement (29 October 2022). "Charcoal drawings, quirky book titles: 7 art works in Thomson-East Coast Line stations you should not miss". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.

Sources

[edit]
  • Mass Rapid Transit System: Proceedings of the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit Conference. Singapore: Mass Rapid Transit Corporation. 1987. ISBN 9971-84-636-5. OCLC 82363485.
[edit]
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