In a Walmart parking lot north of Toronto, a turtle shell-shaped canopy balances atop the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway station. An artwork by Paul Raff, MRAIC made of mirror-polished steel panels covers the ceiling, reflecting the warm glow of passengers below. Pierced by a series of blue skylights, the ceiling is like a 21st-century Ronchamp. The dramatic entrance shelters commuters and houses a pair of heroic staircases that provide access to the northern terminus of the Toronto-York Spadina Subway extension.
he Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station, designed by Grimshaw with Adamson Associates and Arup, includes a mirrored artwork by Paul Raff. Photo by Shai Gil.
The station is part of a $3.2-billion infrastructure project, including six new stations, that brings a subway connection to Toronto?s outer suburbs for the first time. Since the project launched in late 2017, critics have been quick to share their opinions. Some have questioned the political horse-trading involved in choosing station locations. Others have dismissed the stations as white elephants that serve too few people. Given the significant level of investment, it seems fair to ask: How is the line delivering on its promise of dignified mobility for all segments of our population" And how might the stations support this goal as the surrounding areas develop over time"
The Vaughan station sports a skylight-pierced, turtle-shell-like roof and sits at the heart of an area that is undergoing rapi...