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“Hopeless”—not to mention “brutal”—was an adjective once used to describe the Milwaukee Intermodal Station. No longer. With its new crystalline skin, the 60,000-sq ft facility is now a gleaming public transit hub. The dramatic makeover stripped the dark, opaque façade of the once-forbidding train station and replaced it with a sophisticated transparent enclosure. Energized by its lighting, the mixed-use transportation center is the new rail and bus gateway for metropolitan Milwaukee.
 The seamless combination of lighting and architecture produced a contemporary structure that has contributed to increased ridership for both modes of travel. Responsible for the creative transformation are Eppstein Uhen Architects, Inc., (EUA) Milwaukee, with lighting by IBC Engineering Services, Waukesha, WI. The result of their collaboration was recognized by an AIA Wisconsin 2009 Merit Award.
Jurors viewing the circa 1965 “before” images of the building characterized it as a “hopeless space.” Its three-level exterior was an example of that era’s short-lived Brutalist school of architecture. The building’s narrow repetitive arches disguised its function and discouraged human visual interaction. With its dark and drab interior and subpar maintenance, the structure became a detriment to rail travel patronage.
Rescue from this downward spiral came in the form of a public/private joint-venture partnership led by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDot) with Los Angeles-based Wilton Partners. Their objective was to redevelop the existing Amtrak station and relocate the Greyhound Bus Lines to the downtown Milwaukee site.
Architect Greg Uhen, EUA’s president and CEO, guided the design of the $13 million redevelopment plan from concept to completion in late 2007. He lobbied for nearly five years to increase the initial budget, which was less than $5 million. “We wanted to create a new front door for Milwaukee through a complete transformation of the existing station into a modern travel and service-oriented complex. But it couldn’t happen with this level of expenditure,” Uhen says.
SELLING THE CONCEPT
Uhen’s strategy was to present renderings of a totally illuminated building adjacent to the Sixth Street Viaduct to convince WisDot and Wilton that the project needed more than cosmetic treatment. Realistic depictions of an exciting new landmark were developed in conjunction with lighting designer Scott Wheaton of IBC Engineering. Uhen’s strategy worked. An upwardly revised budget of $13 million was allocated for the building and site work. Levels two and three of the 20,000-sq ft Lamps & Fixtures in the Field December 2009 footprint became commercial rental office space that has been marketed by Wilton. WisDot’s Traffic Operations Center is now housed on the station’s third level.
“To achieve our vision of a vibrant, street-level beacon, the original precast concrete façade was removed to give us a steel-frame shell to work with,” Uhen explains. “A new curtain wall system creates a three-story-high uninterrupted skin. It makes the dynamic effect from the interior lighting possible.”
A 30-ft-wide circulation and Galleria space for waiting and ticketing was added, resulting in a grand-scale entrance that gives the structure an identity and visual street presence. From the exterior, the prismatic glass box shows off its structure with exposed crossed steel beams behind the curtain wall system. Patterns made by the angled steel beams across the front façade are an abstract representation of the movement, direction and connecting points that link cities through the station’s dual modes of public transportation.
Shanna Olson, lighting designer at IBC Engineering, was assigned to the project after Wheaton’s departure. “From the beginning, the lighting was planned to highlight the architecture,” Olson says. “The renovation created a monumental space. We worked closely with Greg to design lighting that would emphasize the open and airy environment, one that would also feel comfortable and welcoming for the users.”
Daylighting plays an important role in both the station’s identity and the daytime light level. Fullheight north-facing window walls balance the daylight entering the interior from the glazed front façade.
Uhen and Olson visited the site during the day and evening to fine tune the lighting before the facility’s formal opening. They had agreed that one of the requirements of the specified lamp temperature would be to maintain the white monotone background. “Initially, the lamp temperature was set at 3,500K,” Olson says. “After the first site mockup, we modified the color temperature of the lamps to create a more consistent color across lamp types. The revised color temperature, 3,000K, also produced less color shift on the interior finishes.”
AGi32 and other computerized programs were used for design development. “But for a volume of the enclosed area of this size, I felt there was an amazing difference in the feel of space once I was actually inside,” Olson notes. Adds Uhen, “I spent more time on the final lamp color balance and the aiming of the fixtures at the station than with almost any of our other projects. But it was important that the lighting was just right to accomplish the effect that had been the rationale for the architectural design.”
“The volume of the space modified our viewpoints about the lighting as we started to test the design at the site,” Olson adds. “We produced quick hand sketches, discussed them, mocked them up and then made decisions. The sketches showed mounting location and direction. From there, we tested the angle and beam spread in the field.” Technicians supplied by the building’s contractor and the electrical sub-contractor were on hand with necessary equipment and scaffolding to carry out the adjustments. “Sometimes we were there for hours, but it paid off in the end,” says Uhen.
For the station’s Galleria, four fixture types were utilized, controlled through a low-voltage control system via a time clock with manual override. In-ground recessed uplights were fitted with 32-W triple-tube fluorescent lamps. Wall-mounted uplights beam illumination to the ceiling with a pair of 400-W metal halide lamps. Adding to the lively atmosphere are accent spots with 70-W CMH T4 lamps, which were also employed for accent grazers.
At the ticketing counter, 45-W T5HO lamps provide a continuous linear cove wall wash. Downlights contain a single 150-W CMH T6 lamp.
CONTROL FOR CONTROLLERS
WisDot’s Traffic Operations Center presented unusual lighting challenges. “We needed to provide enough light for the controllers to work with, but it had to be dark enough so they could easily read the oversized monitors,” Olson notes. “Glare was clearly the biggest issue. We used wall-mounted linear direct/indirect luminaires fitted with 54-W T5HO lamps with a dimming override to allow the end user to control the room’s light level.”
Beyond this space, separated by a glass wall is the media/conference room. “This space has multiple functions and thus multiple light level requirements. Also, because of the glass wall, glare from this room was an issue. To control it, we utilized three-lamp dual-switched troffers,” says Olson.
With the facility operating year-round and 24/7, the designed lighting level is constant for the interior spaces to ensure public safety and comfort. Fixtures are set at a lower level for the majority of the time but have the ability, through manual override, to be brought up to a higher light level for specific events. “For example, the illumination level in the Galleria is typically 30 footcandles. When WisDot schedules events for the space, the light level can be increased to 70 fc,” Olson says. Electronic ballasts were used throughout, with occupancy sensors provided in specified areas.
Outside, a new canopy extends the length of the station and the bus passenger loading areas. Mounted on one-half of the canopy is the identifying signage, “Milwaukee Intermodal Station,” with each separated letter lighted from below. A landscaped pedestrian walkway leading to the station’s front is illuminated by bollards and low pathway lighting installed in a seating platform.
New amenities include bicycle racks, outdoor tables, travel informational display, electronic ticketing, a convenience store, and food and beverage stands. Construction was completed in the fall of 2007. In addition to the AIA award, the Milwaukee Intermodal Station was given the Downtown Achievement CPR Award from the Milwaukee business community, and was cited by the Daily Reporter and Wisconsin Builder’s Ninth Annual Top Project Awards program.
Vilma Barr is a regular contributor to LD+A and has written, co-authored or edited 15 books on retailing and design.
December 2009
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