Bras Basah MRT station

CC2  Bras Basah 百胜 பிராஸ் பாசா
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station
Escalators in Bras Basah MRT station.
General information
Location	65 Bras Basah Road Singapore 189561
Coordinates	1°17′49″N 103°51′02″E
Operated by	SMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation)
Line(s)	Circle Line
Platforms	2 (1 island platform)
Tracks	2
Connections	DT21  Bencoolen, Bus, Taxi
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Depth	35 metres
Platform levels	1
Parking	Yes (Singapore Management University)
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Station code	CC2
History
Opened	17 April 2010 (2010-04-17)
Electrified	Yes
Previous names	Museum
Services
Preceding station   Mass Rapid Transit   Following station Template:SMRT stations toward Template:SMRT stations Template:SMRT lines Template:SMRT stations toward Template:SMRT stations

Bras Basah MRT station (CC2) is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the Circle line, located in Museum planning area, Singapore, underneath Bras Basah Road bordering Waterloo Street and Queen Street.

Located next to the Singapore Management University, this station is in extreme close proximity to Bencoolen MRT station on the Downtown line, even though they are not directly connected from within which would otherwise make them an interchange. Bras Basah (Modern Spelling: Beras Basah) means "wet rice" in Malay – beras means harvested rice with husk removed, and basah means wet.

History

The station's platform for trains bound for Dhoby Ghaut.

Before the station was built, it was named Museum. Later on in 2005, it was renamed to Bras Basah, as the name is still popular and was chosen for all Singaporeans and to reflect the area's heritage. The name SMU was not used because it was not owned by the public.

During the construction of the Bras Basah MRT station for the Circle line, on 25 March 2003, the section of Bras Basah Road was realigned. The road was narrowed on 12 April that year before realigning on 2 May that year.

The station's construction required the realignment of Bras Basah Road for 2 years before re-cladding of the Singapore Management University for another 2 years. The junction of Bras Basah Road and Waterloo Street was reinstated on 6 September 2006.

This station was completed in April 2007, mainly due to the presence of Singapore Management University.

The station was commissioned through the Marina Line Architectural Design Competition jointly organised by the Land Transport Authority and the Singapore Institute of Architects. The competition required no track record and is acknowledged by the industry as one of the best run competitions held in Singapore to date.

In 2009, "Best Transport Building" was awarded to the designers at WOHA Architects at the World Architecture Festival.

During the opening of the station on 17 April 2010, Transport Minister Raymond Lim, who officiated the opening, said, "The Circle line will enhance the quality of commute for the public – connecting homes, workplaces and social and recreational destinations more quickly and seamlessly." He also added that the stations will connect commuters to the "doorsteps of major cultural destinations" like the Esplanade and Fort Canning.

In addition, it won the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and International Architecture Awards in 2011. This station was 'featured' in Hellgate: London video game, when Windows Vista came out together.

Nearby buildings

Exit A directs passengers to the Singapore Art Museum, Exit B and C directs to the SMU underpass, and connects to National Museum of Singapore and Fort Canning Park. Exit D and E directs to Manulife Centre as well.

Architecture

The station is 35 metres below ground and its island platform is located at basement 5. It was the deepest station from its opening until 22 December 2013 when the Downtown line at Promenade MRT station was completed. It is also the station with the longest escalator, at 41 metres which stretches from the ticket concourse to the transfer level and takes approximately one minute to travel.

To let light into the station, a reflective pool of water with glass panels outside the Singapore Management University was created.

A video work was commissioned for the Art in Transit for this station. It is presented in 29 units of sound and images, forming a narrative of an action figure caught in a Chain of Wonderful Underwater Adventures. It is displayed in the evening at the concourse level of the station.

External links

• Official website