A City Divided: Rethinking the Role of the Transit Station in Metro Atlanta

Abstract

Atlanta’s public transit system, known by the acronym MARTA, has been underused by Atlantans since its inception and has gained a city-wide reputation for being unreliable and unsafe. This stigma, rooted in social divisions within the city, has repeatedly halted public support for expansion and improvements of the system. With long-awaited approval of funding in 2016, the design of new transportation infrastructure will play a significant role in the success or failure of the MARTA expansion. This thesis argues that architecture of transit can serve as a gateway between communities, providing a sustainable and efficient means of commuting while cultivating connections within and between neighborhoods. The design proposal for a new bus transit center in Metro Atlanta will enhance the identity of its place while improving public perception of the city-wide transit system.