Abstract:
Public rail transport interiors must be adaptable
and cater to a wide target market to address the
diverse needs of the South African public. Local
rail transport competes directly with air travel for
market share. Currently, local rail transport fails on
both accounts. The failure to invest in and update rail
infrastructure has resulted in a desperate need to
play catch up with decades of international railway
evolution – a need especially visible in the interiors
of local long-haul trains. The design and aesthetic
identity of transport interiors are generic, dated
and fail to address the functional and aesthetic
needs of contemporary South African travellers. As
a result, these interiors fail to establish an identity
synonymous with our unique demographic makeup.
The current state of local long-haul passenger
rail interiors was investigated through the use of a
heuristic inquiry.
An Electro Star Multiple Unit train structure was
then selected in which an interior insertion is
made. Hamba-Kahle addresses the physical and
psychological discomfort in the train interior,
the absence of social spaces, the disregard for
wayfinding and the lack of contextual identity.
The design challenges the insular train interior
layout and divides the interior into different spatial
zones. A Budget Sitter car, Premium Sitter car,
Budget Sleeper and Universal Car provides seating
variation for passengers and in turn integrates a
wide target market. Break-away spaces are also
incorporated. The programme and the spaces it
creates assist the interior in mediating between
private and public spaces. It facilitates chance
encounters and supports retractable privacy. The
interior reinforces adaptability in the use of spaces
while adhering to universal design principles. The
scenery from the surrounding landscapes is used in
the design to enrich the interior spaces and improve
the embodied experience of the user.
In establishing a contemporary South African
identity, a sense of place is created with which
passengers can identify and feel physically,
psychologically and socially comfortable in.
