The GCC plans to build $115bn worth of rail projects and should pronounce its focus on functional stations to enhance take up of passenger services. Frans van de Laak, general manager at Hunter Douglas Middle East, said that while the GCC countries are constructing a large number of rail projects, in order for them to succeed in growing strong ridership numbers they need to create uncluttered, well-lit stations where travellers feel comfortable.
He said: “Ceilings play an important part in enhancing the traveller experience, as they can absorb sound, lead travellers toward trains, and make travellers feel safe by providing human-sized proportions and ample lighting.”
In both the Dubai Metro’s Union Station, one of the busiest stations in the system, and the Delft Railway Station, Hunter Douglas installed ceilings with tapered baffles of extruded aluminium. These ceilings have the strength to half reverberation time of traditional train stations, while absorbing the noise of trains and travellers.
An important factor in making sure travellers in an underground station feel safe is light, which is why in between the baffles, artificial lighting has been installed. At 110 gloss units, the baffles have an exceptional gloss level for reflecting light. Special weather-resistant coatings can also reflect daylight.
Regional metro projects include the Dubai Metro expansion, construction in Doha, Qatar, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and plans for metros in Jeddah, Medina, and Dammam in the Kingdom.