Here’s another entry from the New Bus for London competition, this time by London-based architect Matthew Heywood.
The winners of the competition were announced last week – see our previous story.
“The Routemaster bus had character,” says Heywood. “The design suggested personality; we have striven to create a bus with a similar character or personality.”
The following text is from Matthew Heywood Architecture:
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DESIGN
The design of this new bus is a direct development from the Routemaster. Our intention is to keep the best aspects while bringing the design up to date.”The design reflects advances in vehicular technology as well as modern transport strategy.
CHARACTER
The asymmetric nature of the original Routemaster has been maintained. Every element of the external and internal appearance has been carefully considered to contribute to the whole.
INTERIOR
The seating layout has changed to reflect the way that people use the space available. The lower deck has increased standing and circulation space to allow better use of the space when the bus is busy. Increased accessibility is vital to the success of a new bus design. The majority of bus passengers in London are tavelling alone. The conventional double seat layout leads to poor use of space – passengers choosing to take an empty double seat rather than sit next to another passenger. By increasing the choice of seating arrangements, the space will be better used and circulation improved. The seats on the lower deck are arranged in banks of inward facing seats (a popular arrangement in other transportation designs).
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
The heating/cooling of the bus interior is a problem which must be addressed in a new 21st century bus. We propose an automatic comfort cooled/warmed system which ends the current reliance on driver/passenger control. Full blown air conditioning is neither necessary or desirable.
SAFETY
The design proposes extensive use of cameras to provide the driver with a full view of passengers within and boarding/alighting the bus.
CAPACITY
The design allows for an occupancy of 72. The bus could easily be longer and consequently hold more passengers. Increasing the vehicle size has to be balanced with the reduced monouverability and increased weight.
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Posted by Rose Etherington
December 24th, 2008 at 4:55 pm
the peanut express
December 24th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
“similar character and personality”??
December 24th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
reminds me on something that I saw in a cartoon.
December 24th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
buahaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaa, hoooorror
… tiramisu meet London
December 24th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
pixar meets… err something. i don’t get it.
December 25th, 2008 at 5:29 am
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! That’s hilarious.
December 25th, 2008 at 10:32 am
None of the designs I’ve seen for this new bus seem to look at the double decker as a whole. They all appear to have been thought of as one level on top of another, particularly from the front view. I still haven’t seen a clear winner. Thanks for posting all these though, it’s great to see each team’s different perspective and solution to the same problem
December 26th, 2008 at 1:25 am
and that’s why architects should stick to architecture.
December 26th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
OK , Now here I see ’some’ Design.Good attempt to create a unique object!!.Much better than what we have seen before!
December 26th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
WOOOOOW!!! This is one of the worst looking vehicles I have ever seen! This architect must understand that the principles they use in architecture and those in the transportation design are very different! It’s really suprising that this pretends to be a serious project though there is some potential it needs a lot more work and refinement!
December 27th, 2008 at 12:50 am
It’s a rip off of the weiner mobile: http://www.weinermobile.com/
December 27th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I really like this one. Much more interesting than the winning entries.
December 29th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
that weinermobile site was excellent
some priceless design going on there!
January 4th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
.
it’s pretty ugly! omg!!!
it doesn’t match london’s style at all. has nothing to do with london!!!!
it’s a cartoon!!!
space wise? too small, as everyone can see!!!!
January 17th, 2009 at 4:26 am
Do they really need a new bus? I think that the London transport’s decision to redesign this icon is an unfortunate one.
January 21st, 2009 at 7:40 am
Tall people people on lower deck would have to bend forward or stand up!
Sums up the daft nostalgia of Mayor Boris Johnson whose misguided idea all this is. London, bankrupt financial capital of the world, had better start looking to the future if it doesn’t want to be a global laughing stock.
March 9th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
They should use it in the olypics.
March 24th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I THINK IT LOOKS LIKE A PENUT AND ITZ TO SMALL
July 16th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
This is a classic example of architects designing things that people hate, and engineers designing things that work.
August 8th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Absolutely ugly bus .. i never saw worse bus (50 years old bus is nicer).
Currently busses in London are beatifull.
August 16th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
omg ummm i kinda like it in a wird way i think it shows the fun side even no its a bus lol it some think new and so its cool i love the style i donno why who ever made this is very insreteding xx hope this happens tho