The Beginning
The first subway line implemented in São Paulo, connecting the North and South regions, from the Santana to the Jabaquara city district, was based on the feasibility studies for the São Paulo subway that were accomplished by the consortium of German origin HMD (Hochtief-Montreal-Deconsult).
Construction Methods
Two construction methods were applied on the Line 1-Blue stations: cut-and-cover and elevated.
In addition to these methods, tunneling machines for tunnels with shields were used for the construction of the track sections.
Architectural Directions
There are two architectural directions to be noted in the projects for Line 1-Blue, one for the underground stations, and another for the elevated stations.
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Underground Stations |
The stations were designed as actual "caves", making connection with the surface only through the entrances, with no natural ventilation or lighting.
With the purpose of avoiding an excessive resemblance between the stations, a diversity of geometrical forms were chosen for the upper covering slab of each station, constituting a diversified roofing design.
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The setting of metallic enameled plates as wall covering along the platforms intended to individualize the stations using different geometrical patterns for each station, allowing their immediate identification. |
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Elevated Stations |
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For the design of the elevated stations, which are located at the northern border of Line 1-Blue, the structural and plastic potentials of the concrete were used, in order to aesthetically integrate the structures needed for the track support with the other spaces of the station, such as technical and operational rooms, accesses, and crossing pathways for the vehicle traffic system. |
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Urban Terminals |
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The bus terminals were designed with the purpose of allowing a perfectly safe, fast and comfortable transfer of the subway system users to and from the different bus lines, and are characterized by their functionality and adequate insertion in the urban texture. Among these projects, the Vila Mariana Bus Terminal stands out. |
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The Sé Station |
The Sé station was inaugurated in 1978, providing connection between lines 1-Blue and 3-Red of the subway system. This is the largest station of the entire network, being able of serving 100 thousand users/hour. Different from the other Line 1-Blue underground stations, the architectural party of this station implemented an improved integration of the surface area with the underground spaces through the opening of a huge skylight at the central span of the station, thus allowing the natural access of light and air from the square to the Line 1-Blue platform, the lowest of the inferior levels of the station. |
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North Extension |
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The prolongation of Line 1-Blue occurred in 1998 with the inauguration of the Jardim São Paulo, Parada Inglesa, and Tucuruvi stations.
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The projects of these stations were respectively constructed by cut-and-cover, elevated, and on surface, and the characteristic lay-out of each one depends on the adopted construction method, whereby the space distribution of the Parada Inglesa station is to be noted, with its openings to the surface and the gardens at hall level, where the ticket windows and the turnstiles are located.
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The architect Meire Gonçalves Selli created the architectural project of the Jardim São Paulo station and she was awarded on 10/23/2000 the II Iberian-American Biennial for Architecture and Civil Engineering of Madrid.
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Line 1-Blue
