ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
Luton DART marks a significant investment in the town ’ s civil infrastructure by Luton Borough Council ’ s airport company Luton Rising . Arup has played a key role working alongside Luton Rising on this landmark infrastructure project , assembling a large team of architects , engineers , and specialists to help meet the client ’ s aspiration for a world-class airport experience . Arup ’ s role covered all aspects of the planning , costing , procurement , and design , including station architecture , operating systems , and operational readiness .
The scheme comprises two stations , a viaduct , a bridge , and a ‘ cut-and-cover ’ tunnel beneath a live taxiway . Arup has created a sense of place for passengers , with intuitive and easy-to-navigate spaces . DART Parkway and Central Terminal stations are characterized by their signature parasols . A simple and functional style delivers a consistent and high-quality architectural experience for travelers ’ journeys from start to finish .
Both DART Parkway and Central Stations are naturally ventilated throughout the concourse and platform areas , lowering the operational carbon footprint of the stations against a mechanical approach . The transport system is powered by an efficient electric drive system which incorporates energy recovery during braking . The energy can be consumed in the vehicle ( HVAC ) and elsewhere in the station facilities , reducing the total energy consumption of the whole system . The new station , with its highly reflective parasol cladding , maximizes daylighting to improve passenger and staff wellbeing . The project brought together the collaborative effort of architects , engineers , and experts across Arup to deliver a design that was innovative , elegant , and environmentally innovative .
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The project prioritizes accessibility with numerous features to facilitate ease of use for all passengers , including tactile paving and audio frequency induction loops . The two stations have created a new identity for Luton Airport with their signature parasols that are repeated across the wider development . Each parasol is held by a single centrally loaded column and cantilevers across approximately 20m in width . These bright sculptural forms are cleverly detailed to appear elegant in their design , bringing joy and delight to passengers .
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