The Future of the Metro by SYSTRA and Usbek & Rica Editorial Next Stop: the Present

The future of the metro By SYSTRA and Usbek & Rica Editorial Next stop: the present

The metro is going over its century and half of existence in 2020. Having contributed to delivering half of the automatic metros in the world, we saw in this anniversary an occa- sion to pause and take a step back. It is with this ambition in mind that we imagined this notebook: to retrace the evolution of the metro and envision the possibilities for the next decades.

But to throw ourselves into prospective analysis in the midst of a pandemic, what an adventure! Independence of our will, the writing of this work has taken place straddled between two worlds: the one before-covid-19 and the one that we will name “the world after”. How to write something that will last in such an uncertain time? How to envision the future of public transportation when social distancing is becoming a new norm. But perhaps it’s this context that will give this document strength. This booklet—just like the metro—was thought out to adapt to all situations, to wit- hstand all types of future. To bend itself to reality, without ever breaking.

And isn’t it when everything wavers that we clearly see the most stable elements? Everywhere, the crisis has shed light on the vital functions of our society: healing, feeding, edu- cating. But also uniting.

3 Editorial Summary

By forcing half of the planet to be confined, the crisis re- Telling A brief minded us how mobile we are in our professional and per- numbers history of sonal lives. And by depriving us momentarily of their use, it p. 7 the metro proved the importance of public transportation in all of our p. 8 lives. For the metro belongs to the mundane, as French author Georges Perec once said, “what happens everyday and comes back the next day, the banal, the day to day, the obvious, the common, the ordinary, the infra-ordinary, the background noise, the usual”.

Tomorrow, when the metro is back on track, perhaps we will be amazed by this robust and resistant machine, fluid An itinerary and without friction. Perhaps we will briefly realise how under the innovative it is, before reintegrating it back into our day to open sky day, until we forget its presence. But until then, and star- p. 10 ting now, the metro will have to learn to live in a world The metro: scarred by crises that are deeper and deeper and repeated. between We will have to get used to reacting and finding answers. crisis and Meeting It will finally affirm its place in an ecosystem and contribute to structuring our collaborations with one another. In this opportunity with way, it can continue to do what it knows best: being the p. 12 Philippe Rahm backbone of our day to day, rigid enough to structure our p. 16 lives, but supple enough to bend to all possible futures.

Pierre Verzat, Chairman of the Board of SYSTRA A virtual metro Jérôme Ruskin, The metro at the service of reality Executive Director of Usbek & Rica in all its ordinary p. 18 beauty p. 20

Three killer questions The metro in 2035: p. 24 three scenarios for a The metro station of the future in SF p. 26 p. 28

4 5 Numérologie Clarification Telling numbers

Familiar and daily, the metro actually conceals a lot of secrets. Let’s take a little tour of some numbers that show its discreet and enormous exploits. 14 000 km The total length of all of the metro 1863 lines in the world. The grand opening of The London Underground that became 90 the 1st metro in the world. out of 100 A real worldwide hit! The number of metro stations decorated with works of art. This project, led by 150 artists began 25 to 40 in 1950. km / h 40 The average speed at which a metro 3,64 transports its passengers. A speed years that is far superior to the car in our The average technical lifespan of a metro million global urban areas (13km/h in Paris, 16km/h in London). train, which is almost 4 times more The busiest metro station, that the average lifespan of a car in Europe Shinjuku (Tokyo), sees (11 years). 3,64 million passengers each day, which is the equivalent of the entire population of Uruguay.

180 1 metro cities 105 out of 2 Around 180 cities in the world have SYSTRA contributed their own metro networks. This metres to developing half of the represents more than 11000 metro The depth of the Arsenalna station in Kiev, automatic metros in stations. the deepest metro station in the world. circulation in the world.

7 Clarification Clarification

Port Town line. Two years later, the city of Lille went even further with its Light Automatic 1906 Vehicles project that circulated without a conduc- A brief history tor on lines 1 and 2. Germany quickly followed Signalling suite in 1984 with two lines in Nuremberg, fol- In the United States, the Hall semaphore si- lowed by Canada and Vancouver. While it re- gnalling system was in general use from the mained sporadic in the 1990’s, the phenomenon TEXT end of the 19th century. It was adopted in spread across the planet in the 2000’s in cities like of the metro Eric Senabre France, but was quickly replaced by an auto- Budapest, Barcelona, São Paulo, Dubai… and led mated electric system in 1906. This remained to the automatization of existing lines (Paris’ line in use until the 1960s, when electronic and 1 in 2013). The metro is such so commonplace in everyday town life that we take emerging computer technology took over. it for granted. However, it already has a long history, sparkling with Now the metro relies on a signalling system as innovations that were revolutionary in their time. complex and efficient as the signalling used for mainline railways. 2003

Farewell to the ticket? 1900, electricity was preferred to some sur- In London, the Oyster Card was launched in prising alternatives (e.g. water cushion, in- 1952 - 1956 2003. Based on RFID technology, it has simpli- 1863 clined plane, compressed air). Three inde- fied ticket transactions for the operator and pendent firms agreed to supply the electricity, Articulations and tyres passenger alike. In Paris, the Carte Navigo Instant success until the dedicated power station was com- In order to satisfy high demand during peak existed already in experimental form but did Although its history started in the second half pleted on Quai de La Râpée. Independent of periods, Paris started to use articulated rolling not enter general service until 2005 and 2006. of the nineteenth century, the metro was de- the comfort that it brings to its passengers, stock (MA 1951) in 1952. Technically more ad- Today, certain smartphones can already serve signed to solve problems that are still relevant electricity makes the idea of an underground vanced than the old Sprague-Thomsons, these as super-tickets while more universal software today. When the London underground was network sustainable, while other cities have trains could couple together two or three and hardware solutions are being studied. opened on January 10 1863, its primary pur- bet on the surface. three-car units as needed, thereby adapting to pose was to relieve traffic congestion on the cater for passenger influxes. However, success surface. There were no motor vehicles at that was limited. RATP decided to focus its efforts 2010 - 2020 time of course. In a town with more inhabi- 1903 on tyre-borne trains (MP). Trains running on tants than the population of central Paris to- tyres can brake and accelerate more vigo- day, horse-drawn vehicles caused the same rously. As a result, the headway between two Passenger experience traffic jams. The pollution caused by horse Safety trains can be reduced. This was another way of and sustainable development manure was perceived as a real menace. In 1903, a train caught fire at Ménilmontant in satisfying increased demand while eliminating At the end of the nineties, the metro started to Success was immediate. 30,000 passengers Paris. The smoke asphyxiated 84 passengers the rail squeal that offended sensitive passen- focus on enhancing passenger comfort and travelled from Paddington to Farringdon on on the platform at Couronnes station. The two gers. the environment. Wi-Fi was gradually intro- the first day. villains of this catastrophe were the timber duced (starting in 2009 in Seoul), while 4G used to build the carriages, and the lack of spread to the metro (in Singapore, 4G and Wi- emergencies in stations. Wood was replaced Fi cover the entire network). In Asia, contact- by metal. This gave birth to the legendary 1980 - 2000 less payment is becoming widespread through 1890 Sprague-Thomson in 1908, which remained in mobile applications. In 2017, Line S1 of the service until 1983. Of course, stations were Beijing metro received magnetic levitation Electrification upgraded to protect the safety of all. Automatic train control trains. Meanwhile, other towns were greening Until 1890, the London underground ran on In 1981, Osaka introduced the concept of the au- their transport. In Lausanne and Toronto steam. Despite the speed with which this so- tomatic metro system to the world with its Nankô (Victoria Park station), station exteriors were lution was adopted (40 million travellers per adorned with canopies of vegetation. And in- year by 1880), we can imagine the discomfort side? In Paris, Gare de Lyon station on Line 14 of this form of locomotion in a confined space. Compressed air Ghost stations had already shown the way. Although in 2016 Instead of using cable drive, as chosen by the After the opening of the London Underground, it was quickly acknowledged Paris’ metro has 16 ghost stations. While some of them were in reality merged the Chinese experiment in Hangzhou to vege- New York metro, London chose electricity. that coal and steam could not be considered long-term solutions. However, with the neighbouring station (like Martin Nadaud with Gambetta) and remain tate a train interior did not last before relying on electricity, a number of projects were carried out. Among de facto accessible under a different name, others are purely and simply long, it did at least blaze a trail This was a more modern solution that had the alternatives: compressed air. If compressed air motors have indeed been put abandoned (like the ghostly Saint-Martin station on line 9, whose platform that the metro will probably featured in the Universal Exhibition of 1881. into service (notably on tramways in Nantes until the end of the first world war), can still be seen when you go from Strasbourg-Saint-Denis to Republique) The metro preceded conventional railway by there were also systems (in London then New York, from 1864) where a train or, even more strange, some never opened despite the construction of the seek to follow over the coming three years. When Paris built its own metro in was ‘aired’ in a tubular tunnel. platforme – like Haxo in the 19th. decades.

8 9 Utopia Utopia

energy released by the braking mechanism of the mic windows regulate the sun’s heat. Less en- trains and supply the whole neighbourhood with ergy-consuming than air conditioning, forced electricity. Apparently when a metro arrives into a mechanical ventilation has become the norm. station, you can retrieve the energy produced (a It offers optimal temperatures when inside. An itinerary under Thanks to a more frugal design, the weight of free energy!) to fuel a ton of exterior equipment like electric heating, lighting, ventilation systems the trains has been reduced and they now in public places and nearby housing. consume less energy and emit less heat. They - Well done! It gives it a magical touch.” use new-generation high-albedo materials the open sky that are more insulating. Billie remembers last Further along, the teenagers are taking selfies summer, when the metro became a heavenly with their costumes on. They are going to the icebox during the heat wave. Today, most sta- TEXT 2035 – the metro of the future has not set off any revolutions. It Poplars’ Station, which everyone calls UbiDream, tions are designed as climatic oases. In many David Attié continues to deliver discreet innovations, fine-tuning after the famous video game company. It’s one cases, they can rely on bio-based materials its functioning and putting together its resilience. of the few stations in the system that has been such as clay and wood, which improve air qua- ILLUSTRATION co-financed by a property developer, who ap- lity and reduce stress. Nelson Goncalves plied a porous approach to the tunnel and sur- Just before the train heads back underground, face. Not only was the material excavated for Billie recognises the poplars and the UbiDream ever forcing, Billie for me? I’ll come back for them this evening. the line used to construct the building, but a building. Consistent with the concepts of speeds ahead on - Yes, I’ve got oyster mushrooms just picked physical continuity was created between the Transit Oriented Development, the station her bike. A quick this morning…” two. One of the escalators offers direct access was built in the middle of a working-class area glance at her phone to the building shared by UbiDream and School in the heart of the city. A concerted effort by confirms that she is Suddenly, for a few seconds, the LEDs in the 404, which is specialised in video gaming. the community, residents and the developer ahead of schedule. stand start shining and flickering as if there Set up as an arcade open to the public, the helped to stem the rise in prices, and made it The screen saver were no tomorrow. Billie squints into the light: ground floor of the building gives visitors the possible for residents to stay. Thanks to pe- shows the time of “Whoa, what’s that?”. Abel narrows his eyes mys- chance to test out different games, see the destrianisation, shops have moved in and the the next train, down teriously and looks towards the train that has latest technologies for themselves and attend neighbourhood has gained a new lease of life. to the second and just come in. Billie thrusts herself into the train. meet-ups. Professionals, students, gamers and As the teenagers in the back start singing, the the exact number of A ray of sunlight hits an empty seat: it’s that just plain travellers meet there all year round in grandfather leans over to Billie. spaces available in time of day when the celestial body aligns with a gleeful atmosphere. the “multi-park”. It the station’s slope. She sits down and writes a - “They’re so excited, you know what’s happening is referring to a ga- message. “Honestly, did you put up a disco light or As the metro momentarily exits the tunnel, the today? rage, bookable on-line and now found at the what?” Raising her eyes, she looks around. lighting adjusts to the daylight and the ather- - It’s the launch of the latest UbiDream game, entrance of all stations, with spaces that can Thanks to the new self-cleaning everyone’s talking about it. be adapted to every type of micro-mobility. surfaces and self-contained mi- - Are you going too? The open-air station appears on the horizon, ni-sweepers, the train is immacu- You’re not dressed up! on a small, lively square. Billie continues on late. Roomy and bright, it moves - Actually, I’m leading a workshop. the bike path that slopes down gently to the without a sound or vibration. A I worked on the game, we developed an audio lower level, where shops and train connec- grandfather and his three technology using super-immersive 3D.” tions can be found. On the lawn, some are grandchildren have settled in soaking in the sun, but she pays them no at- next to her with multiple shop- The children’s eyes bulge in amazement as tention. Having hung her bike up between a ping bags. The youngest of the they turn to their grandfather, who bursts out hoverboard and an electric scooter, she heads three is faced backward, spying laughing. He gives his go-ahead, but only on away from the multi-park and straight to the on a group of teenagers in cos- condition that they help him with the groce- counter manned by Abel, who greets her with play a few rows away. Billie ries first. In a single second, they all have their a big smile. Ever since ticketing became smiles knowingly. They’re headed arms loaded with groceries. paperless, stations have freed up quite a few for UbiDream Station, no doubt Following the smart guiding availed by their square metres by doing away with ticket about it. Her phone vibrates: it’s Smartphone, the teens decked out in cosplay checking lines. Abel has founded an associa- Abel, answering. have gathered in front of the door closest to tion that sets up organic mini-farms in newly- the UbiDream escalator. The few seconds just freed technical rooms. - “Ha ha. Get this, yesterday, before they open are spent in feverish silence. a technician came to check the Billie winks at them, a magical - “Hey, look who’s here! Is today the big day? electrical system of the stand. beep sounds, and already, the - Yeah, I was just dropping by to say hi, then I’ve got Apparently, they put in place metro’s doors are opening. to run! Could you put some mushrooms aside a system that can retrieve the

11 Dialogue Dialogue

Putting the metro with familiar events such as ear- Christelle Chichigroud Whether for at the heart of an thquakes for example… During an existing structure or a new ecological transition the earthquake in Mexico in one, adapting the metro to the project also means 1985, the core metro network re- climate issues of tomorrow ne- sisted the shocks and operation envisaging its place in cessitates environmentally spe- was able to restart without major cific design and management. The metro: the social and economic works. The consequences of a We integrate very early on in the context of our urban 100-year flood level can be inte- design of an infrastructure pro- areas. Time to take grated from the start to protect ject an analysis of the risks lin- the sensitive equipment of fixed TEXT a look into the future ked to exceptional climatic installations, with adaptations. Millie Servant with Maud Bernard, events and we propose structure These risks can also be the object Innovative dimensioning and adaptations of organisational measures for according to this analysis. It is ILLUSTRATION transportation systems between Marine Benz action in a crisis situation (e.g. also the entire management of & Jan Siemen program director obstruction of a metro tunnel by an exceptional event itself that at SYSTRA, and the rapid construction of a tem- must be taken into considera- Christelle Chichignoud, porary wall). The challenge we tion. From the real time alert, the Group Sustainable are preparing to face today invol- whole chain must be anticipated, ves anticipating the unpredic- Development Director. planned and shared between the table in order to be able to adapt different actors. crisis and instantly, but in retrospect, to an → Our societies unprecedented event. Currently, → Could the are going there is much talk of resilience, a metro become flexible concept which denotes to experience a solution in increasingly ‘the capacity of a system to deal with a shock’. According to its de- the face of risk? unpredictable gree of intensity, resistance is as- opportunity natural events. sociated with the capacity of a M.B. The metro as a structure can How can the system’s resilience (absorbative), play a protective role. It can for metro prepare with the implementation of example be designed as a protec- for this? changes to adapt the system and tion against extreme tempera- make it more resilient (adapta- tures, to resist fire or heavy rain- tive), or even the radical transfor- fall. The Moscow metro was Maud Bernard At SYSTRA, we mation of a dominant model especially designed so that sta- already have a risk management (transformative). tions could become shelters in culture that enables us to deal case of war. However, for the metro to really take on this role it also must be Total Luxury considered that the system to be Christelle Chichignoud, Maud Bernard, The Moscow metro is not only the busiest in Europe, with its 365km built must be as economical as Director of Sustainable Director of research in mobility of lines and 232 stations: it also has the reputation of being the most possible in terms of resources, as Development at SYSTRA and innovative solutions at SYSTRA beautiful. In 1935 Moscow still had no metro and Stalin wanted to make much during the construction it an example of Soviet brilliance. The project was colossal, and many phase as during the operational of the stations are a testament to these incredible ambitions: Arbatskaya phase. There is much to be ex- with its chandeliers, its marble; Elektrozavodskaya with its decorated vault and luminous circles, Barrikadnaya and its polished rock decor. plored here: one could for example play on the stations’ architecture or their installation to regulate the temperature without Non-stop recourse to air conditioning. The First World War limited the activity of the Parisian metro system, but did not kill it: on average, between 1914 and 1918, 30% of the trains ran. After the Second World War, it went up to 40%, despite many stations C. C. The metro is at once an ob- being closed. Due the difficulty of finding gas (and tyres), the metro ject of performance remains the safest means of locomotion of Parisians. In the end, the covid-19 crisis will have been more severe for the metro than armed and an object that is conflict, with sometimes only 20% of trains running. useful tor communi- →

12 13 Dialogue Dialogue ties. Innovation is not only about more desirable 10% on concrete for a 20km via- distances, it is the composition futuristic projects such as as a means of duct, which could avoid emit- of scales that we need. We also Hyperloop or flying cars. We can getting around? ting 6,000 tonnes of green- need to consider urban planning develop the metro into an incre- house gases, or the equivalent in line with the transport offer. mental innovation model: a use- of 600 individuals in one year In their academic work on ‘La M.B. First and foremost it is about ful and virtuous innovation. (11.9 tonnes CO2 equivalent per ville cohérente‘ (the coherent simplicity, fluidity and comfort. person and per year, according city), the researchers Emre → What will be Moving from A to B must be a to the figures of the French Korsu, Marie-Hélène Massot pleasant experience. This re- Government for the year 2016). and Jean-Pierre Orfeuil have the impact on quires a reliable and robust sys- the life of the city We also seek to benefit from shown that, in the case of tem of the right size, the taking the system’s potential, from its Greater Paris, if assets are less if the metro into consideration of usage, and design to its maintenance, via than 30 minutes from offices, loses a part of its the interconnection of the metro its operation, but also from the car traffic linked to work could transport capacity? with the other modes of trans- functioning of the stations and be reduced by 10% and that of port (meaning intermodality). administrative buildings. The public transport by 47%. If this But one can go further: the ur- M.B. The covid-19 health crisis ambition is to be able to build a vision is utopian, the study pre- ban anthropologist Sonia has led to a loss of 80% in capa- metro tomorrow while maste- sents difficulties linked to the Lavadinho rightly said: “when we city, corresponding at once to a ring all its energy requirements. specialisation of zones and a can say that our time spent on drop in the level of service and a We could also propose related concentration of employment the street and on transport was drop in the capacity of vehicles functions that generate added that is too high. pleasant and worthwhile, then regarding the respect of physical value for the environment and As Jean-Marc Offner points out we will have answered the distancing rules. In such a situa- cities. It is thanks to this ap- in his work ‘Anachronismes ur- challenges of mobility.” Areas of tion, the transport curve must be proach that the metro will soon bains’ (Urban anachronisms), the metro where the concept of flattened by reducing the density be more than just a line but also the future will see the establish- time disappears thanks to design of movements and by avoiding an essential component in our ment of a mobility system based and what is beautiful and fun. rush hours, moving commuter cities and for society. on three principles: walking for flows to other modes of trans- short distance journeys; public port, etc. It is clear here that resi- → The metro → Journey times transport for scalable move- and zoom out effect must be very common in the United lience requires the activation of also has negative will change in the ments, and on-demand trans- used. More than ever, the capa- States, 50% of journeys made by port modes and car-sharing for multi-scale systems combining externalities: cities of the future: everyone’s strength to create a city of the metro, its added value car are less than 10km in France, how can they be other movements. In such a sys- in the service to communities only 3% of journeys are made by how could this network. limited, or even tem, the networks feed each and territories is to be envisaged bicycle, despite it being a very impact use of the other, and work together to This health crisis forces us to put to good use? think about a ‘global system’ and in terms of synergy and comple- high capacity mode of transport. metro? meet the expectations of users. the speeding up of certain mentarity with other services The problem in the case of a loss and modes of transport. of transport capacity for the me- C. C. changes already taking place At SYSTRA, we envisage the M.B. Transport exists because tro is that its number of passen- gradually or still in gestation. potential but also the impacts in there is activity. If we change gers is difficult to match: a metro This forces us to reconsider the → Can a different their entirety, at the project level the way in which we localise our can carry 60,000 people per place of bicycles, walking and distribution and throughout the lifecycle of activities, we change the way in hour. The local authorities in micro-mobility in cities, and to of passengers the infrastructure. We pay great which we build cities. There is Paris have thus estimated that if recognise these as entirely sepa- attention to optimising the life- much talk today about the across different only 5% of the 600,000 daily rate ways of getting around. cycle of the infrastructure and concept of short distance cities: transport modes passengers on line 13 took their its interactions with the environ- the 15-minute city, the poly- be considered car, four extra lanes would be C. C.Whether it is for a crisis, or ment. centric city… This opens an inte- needed on the road. Shifting more generally in the context of according to their For example, we monitor the car- resting realm of possibilities on journeys from public transport global warming and a zero emis- journey times? bon footprint of our different de- the use of land resources and to cars is, however, neither sions strategy, an ecosystems sign scenarios very closely, we the recycling of the urban space viable nor desirable. The crisis approach must be adopted ins- M.B. There is a huge number of encourage our clients, as soon as (multiplication of uses, reversi- should not act as a brake, a step tead of a narrower approach. It is ways to travel short distances. it is possible, to accept technical bility of spaces). backwards in the context of en- not just the metro itself that is Private operators of micro-mobi- solutions (choice of equipment, These future possibilities raise ergy transition. being considered but its place in lity have already understood constructive methods) that enable questions about distance, proxi- a broader context, and the way it this.. In urban zones, most short impacts to be limited. On certain mity, but also about connected- is integrated in the urban envi- journeys (500m to 10km) are still → How can public projects, we are for example ca- ness – links between the diffe- ronment. A constant zoom in made by car, and driving alone is transport be made pable of proposing savings of rent places. More than short

14 15 Encounter Encounter

TEXT between the the very concept → How could In praise of voids Eric Senabre underground and of air circulation. geothermics the overground, influence the couldn’t it? P.R. We do not yet fully unders- future metro? tand how the virus circulates. Studies show that if Milan has P.R. Vegetation needs certain I think that geothermics could be been so severely affected, it is qualities of air, light and mois- used widely to cool down the air due to the air pollution. The virus ture. That creates a degree of blown into the metro, acting as attaches itself to fine particulate technical dependence which can an earth-to-air heat exchanger. If matter. In the metro, we should be hard to control. Take irriga- outdoor air was blown directly certainly expect the virus to cir- tion, for a start. And the conse- into the metro tunnels during a culate more actively, using the quences would be more psycho- heatwave, it would be stifling. → When we think → Quite so. high density of fine particulates. logical than anything else. It But if you blew the air through of architecture, And how do you The solution might be to dilute takes 300 trees to compensate heat exchanger coils, it would be this concentration, just as we we think consider the voids the average person’s annual car- cooled. Of course, it is a bit com- can attenuate pollution above spontaneously of created by spaces bon footprint. A few shrubs plicated to make the air move ground level. materials, masses, in the metro, in won’t do much for the thousands naturally but it is possible. The

of people in the metro. They upper sections of a solar chim- surfaces and solids. terms of climatic → You mentioned But your vision comfort and won’t be much use as air freshe- ney are black. They get hot and the cool create an updraft. Such thermal focusses on voids. energy efficiency? ners, or at least no better than a pool or a fountain. temperatures chimneys could replace mecha- What does nical ventilation. P.R. of Renaissance the void stand In Paris, you just need to go 5 → What else metres underground, to reach churches. for, in your could be done Could we pursue approach? the mean annual temperature of the town, between 11° and to make the this line of thought, 12°C. It’s a bit like the wine cel- Philippe Rahm metro more to reconsider The first duty of an lars in Reims where they mature resilient, or at architect, which we tend to for- the materials used champagne. Renaissance churches least a bit nicer? for the metro? get, is to create a space, a void have a thermal value too, just like P.R. First and foremost, the qua- where it does not rain when it is Roman basilicas. Today, the me- lity of the air and the light. The raining outside, which has less tro is primarily functional. Tubes Yes, these are major questions lighting devices in the metro sunshine when there is too much joining one station to another. about emissivity and effusivity. emit standard spectra of light. outside. We take portions of the But it might be worth endowing Highly emissive material oppo- However, we ought to choose world and its atmosphere, and it with an ‘urban’ value, like the site us would absorb our heat, them to satisfy the metabolic we transform them so that the semi-underground shopping because it would be constantly needs of travellers, and we could climate inside is acceptable to malls in Canada. This thermal va- cooled by the earth at 11°C. In even adjust them to suit the time people. External walls are built lue could take on a public role. In the metro, everything we touch of day. For instance, we could to delimit this void. It interests winter, there is a huge loss of should made of highly effusive make the lights go yellow in the me to tell myself “this void is not heat from the metro. We ought material, and the materials op- evening, to respect circadian something neutral. It is a mate- to recover the air coming out of posite us should be highly emis- rhythms. The quality of air is still The Swiss architect rial in itself”. We can adjust the metro station entrances, to stop sive. quite hard to control. Intrinsically, Philippe Rahm advocates real parameters of this material, it from going to waste. in terms of temperature, humi- these two notions could become a form of architecture aesthetic considerations. Light dity and quality of air, quantity of → Do you think that features physiology light, radiation. There is also a and air could create the beauty and meteorology. chemical parameter and an elec- that growing of the metro. He has agreed to tell us tromagnetic one too. Architects plants in the metro about a future metro, use bricks, concrete and steel. could be a good → The problem De profundis The Arsenalna metro station in Kiev had the funny idea of setting up that is in harmony Why shouldn’t they use air pollu- way of regulating today is that tion, temperature and the type at the top of the valley. Consequently, the metro platforms are 105 meters the temperature? the covid-19 lower and require a long journey on escalators: between 5 and 10 minutes. with the natural needs of light? This is how I approach At least it could crisis has Of course, this is not about gratuitous cruelty on the part of the engineers: of individuals and my work. I consider the void as a the following station is indeed in the valley, and it would have been a lot the climate. raw material for the architect. build a link questioned more complicated to make it up the hill for the train.

16 17 Point of view

(extensions, the adaptation of the tracks, the arrival of new material, the switch to automa- A virtual metro at the ser- tisation…) and of its direct environment (buildings, other systems of transportation).

Maintenance reinvented vice of reality by artificial intelligence Sensors are progressively finding a place on the equipment between stations and on the rolling material, for a monitoring to the milli- The metro of the future will also be virtual ! The creation of its digital meter: associated to artificial intelligence algo- double will offer an exact multidimensional model of the network, rithms, the data collected paves the way for which will evolve in real time thanks to connected sensors deployed on predictive and preventative maintenance rather than corrective or planned. We there- TEXTE the field. From research to maintenance, and from constructions sites fore speak of Asset Management. Benoit Zante to the operation of the infrastructures, this virtual metro will have real “Thanks to the data, predictive maintenance ILLUSTRATION impacts and allow digital continuity...The goal ? Saving time and energy, Johan Papin being more reliable and renewing the experience for users. aims to reduce the risk of the most critical breakdowns as well as the number of interven- Sensors for a real time report tions. The material can roll longer each day, with BIM and its digital models are not the only a reduced down time, which allows for increased digital incursions on construction sites: frequency with better reliability” explains drones, satellite images, IoT sensors provide Jessica Smith, the Director of Mobility precious data that, depending on the case, Research at SYSTRA Scott Lister, Australia. The visualisation of the network Thomas Juin, Chief Digital Officer, SYSTRA monitor the storage capacity of the site, gua- The digital twin also allows you to better pre- is no longer science fiction “The metro is a complex system to master and we need a rigorously deterministic rantee the security of the workers or ensure pare the heavy maintenance and renewal ope- The visualisation of the metro is well un- conception in order to ensure the security of its passengers. The emergence of new that the schedule is respected by following rations (the renewal or changing of the tracks, sources of data bring us tools to observe and measure real behaviours that help derway: the creators of the metro of tomorrow the advances in construction on a day to day the circuit of tracks …) by reducing the impact us better organize our deterministic models of simulation. This data invites humility on the exploitation. are already working on digital models by using by bringing to light phenomenons that are unpredictable or that we cannot yet basis. the platform BIM (“Building Information explain. We must not turn the use of data into a statistical revolt in a deterministic Modeling”), which aggregates all of the data. dictatorship. Statistics and determinism must work hand in hand at the service “We now complete the traditional topogra- A better experience for users This tool is crucial for coordinating the diffe- of a metro that saves more energy, is more reliable and more efficient.” phic measurements with data that is much The virtual control center also ensures better rent parties in order to limit the risk of error or more precise thanks to drones, sensors and reactivity for the network and guarantees a delay on the different sites. Already in its satellites.” explains Eric Pruvost, Director better daily experience for its users. Passenger conception phase, these visualisation tools fessions that have to work together, in often of the BIM Transformation Plan at flow, the temperature and the lighting can be already allow you to simulate, organise and ef- restricted spaces. SYSTRA. optimised in real time. ficiently plan construction, exploitation and Once the infrastructure is delivered, the digi- maintenance. “Before, everyone came into the meetings with tal plans, connected sensors and virtual mo- “Sensors both inside and outside the station can their own tools. Today, thanks to the cloud, we dels are not abandoned, on the contrary: they be used to analyse the temperature, the bri- “By working in a virtual environment, it is pos- can all have access to the same model, test, ex- start a new life, at the service of the mainte- ghtness or the number of passengers present, in sible to identify problems that until now were change and chose the best solutions together” nance and the exploitation of the infrastruc- order to optimize the lighting, the sound levels, invisible. By investing more means into the de- explains Vladana Darras, the Deployment tures. The network thus becomes stronger the air conditioning or the information for sign, we can better anticipate the future: spen- Manager of BIM in the SYSTRA Group. thanks to its “digital twin”, a true virtual passengers like the positioning of the trains”ex - ding more time thinking about the conception These digital models also pave the way for lon- control center. plains Alan Trestour, General Manager, will always cost less than correcting errors du- ger-term gains that are significant, on the entire The digital twin facilitates the integration of Advisory, SYSTRA Australia & New-Zealand. ring construction.” adds Sandra Lang, the lifespan of the network, by virtually simulating future evolutions on the existing metro lines Whether it be the latest metro lines above Technical Director at SYSTRA Scott Lister, the performance of the entire transportation ground or the more ancient ones, the progres- sive instalment of sensors provides precious Australia. system right from the conception phase, before Marc Seffacene, Operations Director, SYSTRA, Dubai data about the use of the infrastructures. the trials. By virtually simulating the infrastruc- “In tropical cities, the quantity of energy dedicated to metro stations is equivalent to Modeling in order to better tures, it is also possible to model their environ- the amount consumed by the trains. The challenge for energetic optimisation Enlightened by this unprecedented informa- collaborate and control the impacts mental impact and determine in advance their is a reality. All of these systems must function perfectly with a perfect reliability, tion, the operators of the and adapt to the flow of passengers, thanks to constant supervision that has BIM turns out to be just as useful on the field, carbon footprint, which turns out to be particu- networks can optimise the become finer and finer as the technology progresses: in the most modern metros, existing...and plan for the next during the construction phase, by facilitating larly useful in identifying the most economic hundreds of thousands of points of measurement of temperature, tension, extensions. the collaboration between the different pro- configurations in terms of energy. lighting, noise are collected each second.”

18 19 Inspiration Inspiration

only for 100% automatic circulation. A train On most of these automatic lines, it was de- without a cided to put a system of automated doors to The metro in all its prevent access to the track and avoid intru- conductor sions even when the train is not in the station. The idea was of course to regulate the flow of passengers and prevent accidents. Having An automatic metro, without a conductor and someone on the tracks is a mortal risk, with ordinary beauty without personnel onboard, doesn’t surprise delays across the board as a consequence. anyone anymore. And yet, the deployment of Are there any risks? On September 18th completely automated trains is not that easy. 2019, an automatic train of the line 1 in Paris scared its passengers to death, by skipping ATICLE ILLUSTRATION There are five levels, from 0 to 4, in terms of multiple stops before ending its journey at Eric Senabre Jan Siemen automatization; the first designates a system Palais Royale. The incident—which resulted in & Kouzou Sakai that handles the switches automatically, while level 4 applies to the exploitation of the trains a series of disfunctionments—illustrated that without personnel onboard. The first steps in each “automatic” train benefits from a sort of Buying a ticket, getting off, getting on, waiting on the platform, slipping terms of automatisation were done in the “invisible bubble” making it impossible to into the train…In appearance, the potential amazement that a metro trip can 70’s, with level “2” lines that still significantly catch up to the train ahead. The collision with another train was therefore, de facto, impos- procure is relatively low. But the illusion of its simplicity is in alleviated the conductor. After the development of the electronic and then the digital, it sible. reality underpinned by a multitude of discreet innovations, sometimes old, was possible to reach, in the 80’s, level 4. sometimes recent, that we would never suspect – and a fortiori, of an exceptional character. Furthermore, while certain “historic” lines are capable of welcoming automatic trains and Infrastructures: classically conducted trains (this is the case pushing with line 1 in Paris that simultaneously welco- med the two types during the migration back the phase), other more recent ones are created impossible

Except for the cities that recently came out of the ground (on the scale of industrial civilisa- tion at least), metros around the world were built within the existing urban landscape, which presented innumerable challenges for the engineers in charge of the infrastructure. Also, what we take for granted—connecting point A to point B transparently—sometimes conceals a true headache for yesterday and today’s engineers. Mysterious facades And so, just recently, the city of Kolkata In the early days of the European metro, the lines were generally not very deep: launched enormous construction projects to they would dig a hole in the pavement, “stuff” a box inside and close it up, or make its East to West metro line under the not! The houses located at 23-24 Leinster Gardens in London appear to be the Hooghly river bed. On the surface, indeed, same as their neighbours, but in reality, they are mere facades, without any depth, that are just there to hide the “open” line from the public. the ground did not have the required conditions for the extension of the line—starting with the lack of space one can imagine in a Faiçal Chaabane, Senior Vice President, International West Operation & Egypt Managing Director, SYSTRA city with a population of 14 million people. In “The metro of the future should no longer be perceived as merely a means total, the underground section should run of transportation for individuals from point A to point B because it will be developed along 10km, with 520m under the river itself. in a way that reflects the new way of life of urban communities in terms of security This is a first for the country, and should be and respect of the environment, passenger comfort, simplicity in usage and the finished in 2021. resort to digital. The metro of the future will be an integral part of the great Such technical exploits are not new, transformations of our way of life.” →

20 21 Inspiration

even if for many passengers, they have beco- times a day, conceals a technological prowess. me part of the landscape. In Paris—whose In the beginning, the braking action of a me- land, like all “historical” cities, is full of - sur tro was like basically any other vehicle: iron prises, and holes —the Danube station is sup- “skates” put pressure on the wheels to slow ported by enormous pillars of over 30 meters down the train. Since the 80’s however, it has high that are dug into embankments. Between changed: the motor becomes a sort of dyna- the ground of the station and this embank- mo (like a bicycle) that not only acts on the ment, despite the pylons, there is emptiness. brakes, but also converts the mechanical en- Who would think of this during their daily ergy lost in electricity. This electricity is then commute? used by the train itself, or injected into the In recent construction, like the metro in electrical system by the lateral rail to fuel Dubai, other structural findings have been put another train for example... if it is close-by. If in place. Rather than turning to metallic struc- this condition is not fulfilled, the energy is dis- tures and rivets for the overground parts, like sipated in the form of heat, and thus lost. you can see in New York, Paris and London, Indeed, reinjecting electricity in the power rail prefabricated U-shaped concrete viaducs sets off an electrical surge, which thus needs have been put in place. The concrete opens to be used or regulated (the storage is not yet the way for more bold and modern architec- possible). ture that is better integrated in the urban In September 2015, however, the London me- landscape, and limits the ground use (use of tro made a huge advancement by using elec- mo-no-piles as opposed to pairs of pillars). tricity to make, not just a train, but an entire Braking is producing metro station work (lighting, etc). In practice, a station like Holborn could be fueled for two days a week this way. On a daily basis, that represents 1MWh of energy that could be re- Braking cuperated, which equals the electrical consumption of 104 homes. is Behind this exploit lies an ingenious device. It producing! consists of supply sub-stations that are “re- versible”, capable of retrieving 99% of the energy of the braking action and reinjecting it A metro that brakes, if it is a “tyre material” is into the electrical network without setting off not a problem, but if it’s metal, it can be very a power surge. The metros in London, Milan, painful for the ears! In both cases, this braking Riyad, Panama and Dubaï as well as the trams action, which occurs tens of thousands of in Sydney are already equipped with this.

Visions of the future The metro in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, is right out of a science-fiction movie. Launched in 1997, the project was inaugurated 12 years later, on September 9th 2009 (at 9:09:09, you can’t make that up! ) At the time, it was the longest automatic metro system in the world: it now gets third place after Vancouver and Singapore. But its red line, with 52 km long, remains the longest automatic line in the world.

23 Controversy Controversy

ARTICLE Is a future without Does transportation Is the metro David Attié big transportation still need big disruptive a colossus with Three structures possible? innovations? feet of clay?

Today, the metro, the ultimate public transporta- The Hyperloop systems, flying cars, the new genera- A complex system, the metro had been forged by time tion in terms of capacity, is asked to compose with tion PRTs or other high-speed systems on air to be robust. But is that not its weakness? Too heavy, killer new transportation devices. Will they make it ob- cushions...These projects of innovative transporta- too technical, too expensive, will it survive tomorrow? solete? tion systems continue to mobilise research and our imagination. And yet, few of them will have the pri- For over a century, the metro has bent, but ne- In recent years, car manufacturers and the ge- vilege of being deployed on a large scale. ver been broken. Built to last, it builds its resi- neral public have become excited about the lience, meaning its capacity to absorb shock, to questions “In the innovation sector and in case of technological adapt and to transform itself. “We respect progress made in autonomous cars, which indi- cates a future door-to-door transportation rupture, the person who will be able to say how much construction norms that correspond to an ambition Is the metro lying to itself? We asked system rid of parking lots. These taxis-robots the response in terms of safety and availability will of robustness.” summarises Hervé Mazzoni. three killer questions to Maud Bernard, promise great transformations. Should we see cost will be the winner.” explains Hervé Mazzoni. Absorbing a shock is to envisage a breakdown. in this the end of urban transportation in- In other words, a technological concept is not “The global concept of our system plans for Director of research in mobility and frastructures, for the benefit of individual mo- enough, you also have to anticipate the in- degraded modes of operations.” Each device plans innovative solutions, Hervé Mazzoni, bility? frastructures, the logistics, the breakdowns, for multiple duplications to guarantee conti- Transportation expert, and Tristan This is unlikely, at least in big cities. The me- etc. By running after performance, certain pro- nuity in service. The automatic metro trains are Vandeputte, Directeur of Innovation, tro’s infrastructure is synonymous with capa- jects lose touch with reality. for example equipped with an emergency ma- at SYSTRA. city. “A 3,5 km long line of moving cars represents After all, the railway networks work. Some nual control console. 1000 people per hour. A metro represents 50 000 dream of removing the rail/wheel contact. Trains The adaptability of the metro consists in adjus- people per hour. Even by increasing the occupation with magnetic levitation, air pillows and reduced ting the service to outside needs. The automa- rate, we are not in the same playing field.” Maud pressure tubes are proof of this. “Whatever the tisation for example, allows you to increase the Bernard explains. outcome, there will always be interesting tech- offer almost in real time. It thus helps absorb On the scale of a city, the metro network nological derivatives to explore”, explains Maud big variations in passenger flow, just like in the makes passengers converge towards major Bernard. By mobilising our imagination, these evacuation of a stadium. transportation corridors and acts as a totems bring together desires and capital that And finally, the metro is transforming itself: it t e backbone. This performance has a price that allow us to break through certain barriers. welcomes materials and technologies that H T tt M d e ni ri pu aud Bernar rvé Mazzo stan Vande not all cities can afford: they thus resort to ins- Hidden innovations in the autonomous car or make it better and maintain it constantly. talling a BRT (Bus Rapid Transport) network. flying car will eventually find a use in a transpor- Replacing wood by metal for the construction While it has less capacity, it does help the po- tation system. of the trains first reduced the risk of fires; then pulation and makes it possible to open up cer- In fact the metro went through this. Since the the transfer to aluminium offered better com- Ashish Kumar, Head of Operations – Infrastructure, pression performances in case of a collision, all SYSTRA, India tain neighbourhoods. first steam-powered locomotives, it has bene- “The term “metro” is relatively new in India. The first fast transportation system The example of Bogota is emblematic. Due to fited from technological innovations from the while reducing the weight of the trains. was inaugurated in 1984 in Kolkata. It took 23 years to build the first line. its lack of financial resources to build metro elsewhere, whether it be in terms of braking But the metro cannot do everything or predict Then in 1998, Delhi gave itself the ambitious objective of building a network of over lines, the city invested in BRT. A victim of its systems, contactless control access or tech- everything. “It has its role to play, we can prepare it 300 km in 15 years. Today, India has about 700 km of functioning metros and success, it is now saturated and cuts the city niques of ground freezing. “If the metro bene- for certain situations but it is not alone, it functions 600 km are in construction, while the government is thinking about other alternative into boulevards that are impossible to cross fitted from a favorable environment for its develop- on a network”. Maud Bernard reminds us that and complementary modes of transportation. With over 50 cities in India with a population of over 1 million people, the need for urban transportation systems and has 100 meter stations that are jam ment, such an environment seems more difficult to the local systems are a major factor of resi- is huge. Finding the right system and the best way to implement is a necessity.” packed. The will to reproduce the metro’s ca- create for current innovations, event though they are lience, in the sense where the solutions that pacity provoked heavy negative effects on the relevant”, remarks Tristan Vandeputte. need to be mobilised in the case of a crisis are Frédéric BANA, VP West Coast – Operations & Business urban landscape. In any event, innovations must ask themselves above all organisational. A systemic approach Development, SYSTRA, USA As structuring as it may be, the metro’s goal is the question of their horizon. In a time of envi- must take into account the additional offers of “The metro must be integrated in a greater transportation policy. This multi mobility not to make door-to-door transportation pos- ronmental crisis, should it privilege speed or transportation, and on a larger scale, it must relies on a structural backbone, like a metro network, that allows to cater to the needs in terms of urban transportation. Due to the sprawling urban landscapes of certain sible, but to solve the problem of passenger simplicity? also be able to be linked to the question of ur- cities with multiple city centers like Los Angeles, Lagos and São Paulo, the volume. Starting with walking, it is necessarily ban planning, the localisation of our activities transportation offer must adapt in consequence and must both target occasional, short accompanied by other modes of transportation and land use. and non-planned trips, for which the individual transportation services are relevant, that are complementary. just as much as recurrent trips (home to office trips) for which the metro networks offer an ideal solution with high transportation capacity and a very strong integration into the urban landscape without creating barriers between neighbourhoods.”

24 25 Projections

1. From station station will become the launchpad for the innova- to multimodal tive town, booting the new green metro further upstairs. It will contribute to the power-saving ef- transport hub fort for the line, using the energy recovered by regenerative braking to power its activity. By 2035, underground stations will look comple- Now stations will combine aesthetics, technical tely different. Traditional turnstiles will have disap- quality and high green ambitions. Zero waste will peared. Personalised signage will be everywhere, be an integral part of its design and operation. using real-time connectivity. More accurate infor- Vegetation will no longer be used as greenwash, mation about the density of passengers in trains, but it will offer a shared access to biodiversity in along with suggestions for alternative routes, will new areas. Bio-inspired stations will also use opti- improve the management of traffic. Passengers mised natural ventilation, to resolve the sensitive will not be so frightened of succumbing to throm- problem of particles in stations, and their - reper bosis during the rush hour. Accessibility for per- cussions on people’s health. Good collective hy- sons of reduced mobility will improve, with special giene will be a high-priority requirement. ramps, reserved lanes and above all, better laid- Dematerialised access controls and automated out trains. Passengers will not mind lingering in door opening on trains will reduce tactile interac- stations featuring retailers and cultural amenities. tion. Anti-bacterial materials will be specified in Some of these stations will be turned into multi- building standards. Bio-inspired stations will be service hubs, featuring libraries, exhibitions, and linked to the digital era. The digital footprint of cultural offerings. Others will be converted into art services will be factored into the carbon neutrality galleries, laid out like the Stockholm metro to ca- calculation. ter to travellers’ physical and psychological Will there be enough political determination to comfort. Stations that are multimodal hubs will be- back such an ambitious transformation? come the norm. They will ease connections between metros and other means of transport, 3. Access and stops, The metro in 2035: both vertical (lifts, flying taxis) and horizontal. All hubs will offer parking space for human powered the end of stations three scenarios for a station and electric bikes. Traffic management systems will control these exchange nodes, coordinating By 2035, the station mall will be firmly established the various transport fleets. as a cornerstone of the metropolitan tissue. The of the future growth of this model will mark an even more radi- 2. Bio-inspired stations, cal step than the creation of multi-service areas. Underground space will have been transformed to mark a new era The metro is destined to remain a pillar of urban mobility. following the example of 63,000 sites in Tokyo (of As a quick and practical mode of transport, it is the best option which 40% is connected to the metro) and the fa- 2035 will be the start of a new era. The ecological mous Montreal RESO, extending over 32 kilo- for serving the development of large conurbations, particularly and energy transition, oft announced, obstructed metres of tunnel. In Paris, the Hôtel de Ville metro to meet the challenges of climate change. Public transport powered or delayed, will have finally greened our towns. station has set an example by offering direct ac- by electricity is the most obvious way of reducing the greenhouse The metro station will become a symbol of the de- cess to the BHV department store in Rue de Rivoli. gas and particle emissions generated by traffic congestion. carbonised paradigm and the circular economy. The metro moulds itself to match the town it Designed as a town within the town, it illustrates serves. The traditional barriers between urban and Its underlying principles correspond to the main objective of the ‘cradle to cradle’ process. All materials are re- sustainable development. Making the metro attractive, now and transport areas will be abolished. Travellers will cycled and recyclable, and even the functions of choose between walking along underground cor- in the future, will rely heavily on improving access, signage and the station can be modified in the long term. The ridors and taking the metro, according to how information systems. New technology will play an important much time they have to spare. The number of ac- Paola Arellano, Head of the Architecture role and will streamline travellers’ journeys. Likewise, with more Department at SYSTRA, France cesses to a single place will question the very efficient operating and maintenance, the equipment is becoming “In the future, people will no longer need to be mobile on a daily basis or follow concept of the station. Once again, this prospect increasingly available. But the metro is not just a means of transport. a routine. People will travel more by pleasure than by necessity. And thus, will raise the major topic of financial investments. the success of the metro of the future, like all other modes of transportation, Such a project will change the role It is also a space that embodies the town, expressing part of its TEXT will depend on its capacity to offer a rich experience for the passenger. of underground urban space, inde- Benoît Hervieu Stations, the first interface between the passenger and the system, will thus identity. Stations evolving at the pace of urban evolution and pendently from the metro to which need to meet all the passengers’ expectations in terms of society and the changing rhythm of life could change the face, and even ILLUSTRATION sustainable development. In order to make it, they will have to be more flexible it owes its existence. Will travellers the very definition of the metro. Illustration in three scenarios. Nelson goncalves and adapt to the new practices that have yet to be invented.” adapt to it?

26 27 Imaginary Ours The metro in SF We would like to thank... Project team Usbek & Rica contributors

Science fiction, after the twenties, probably would have been more Chief editors Journalists interested in spatial vehicles than underground trains. And yet, whether Alban Agnoux, U&R David Attie Maud Bernard, SYSTRA Benoît Hervieu-Leger it be as a matrix symbol or an elegant alternative to other modes of ground Quadrail series, Hervé Mazzoni, SYSTRA Éric Senabre transportation, the metro has continued to stimulate the imagination Tristan Vandeputte, SYSTRA Millie Servant Timothy Zahn (2005-2012) Benoit Zante of the creators of alternative worlds. The novel series is a considerable Production Managers step away from the concept Gaëlle Cornibert, U&R Illustrators of the metro as we know it, Marie Pfund, SYSTRA Marine Benz but pays a very nice tribute to it. Nelson Goncalves Contributors belts with different speeds, strange disappearance of one The “Quadrail” which gave the Julie Guillem Philippe Rahm Kouzou Sakai whose usage is quickly mastered of the suway cars in Boston saga its name is a tranportation Jan Siemen and becomes second nature after a new interconnection was device on rails, which allows SYSTRA contributors to its users its users. inaugurated. Impossible to find trains to travel in tubes where Jean-Alexis Schuster Artistic directors the train, even if the latter keeps absolute emptiness reigns: Christelle Chichignoud Marine Benz on pulling electricity from we discover here, in broad terms Paola Arellano Anne-Lise Bachelier Philippe Arnaud the network and activating at least, the concept of the Frédéric Bana The Cristal Age, Assistant editors signalling. What if the topologic metro with compressed air. Annelise Baudouin Sophie Loubier Michael Anderson (1976) However, here, the Quadrail Clément Benko complexity of the network Ubiqus Both a utopia and a dystopia, had generated an “infinite allows one to do interstellar Faiçal Chaabane this film depicts a socitey living Vladana Darras interconnection”, beyond the travel. It is a sort of metro on the Printers an idyllic existence in the 24th François Gravil rules known to space and time? scale of the universe. Aubin century (until the age of thirty Batman Begins, Loïc Guignot A beautiful premise, transposed Thomas Juin at least) in a world under a bell Translators Christopher Nolan (2005) in Buenos Aires in the movie Ashish Kumar Rebecca Asthalter, U&R jar. People circulate in a sort In this “reboot” of Gotham’s Moebius in 1996. Mathieu Pochat Peter Barter, SYSTRA of monorail metro, composed of super-hero saga, a flashback Sébastien Lacroix transparent and tubular scene shows us millionaire Sandra Lang And a special thanks to our Jean-Philippe Majorcryk aerial sections, foreshadowing Thomas Wayne and his wife with proofreaders and the Delphine Martinez some very realistic projects the young Bruce—the uture Communications Department Éric Pruvost at SYSTRA like the Dubaï metro. “Dark Night”—on a retro-futurist Lovan Pushparatnam above-ground metro. “Did you Vincent Riquier build this Dad?” asks the young Frédérique Rouquette boy. “The city has suffered and Marc Seffacene Jessica Smith needs something to reunite” The Matrix Trilogy, Alan Trestour explains the philanthropist. Les Wachowski (1999-2003) Henri Vergnaux As an ironic aswer, the metro The Wachowski sisters’ trilogy becomes the matrice of evil managed to introduce clever ...For having imagined together —or at least, of social discrepancies in a seemingly the metro of tomorrow Steal caverns, discomfort—in the recent Joker. ordinary envionment that Isaac Asimov (1954) allows one to slip into a virtual This novel by the master of SF world. During the saga, we meet talks about an underground Trainman, who rules as a world where humans live demi-god in a metro staion for the most part in fear of called Mobil Avenue. The station what can be found on the appears like a sort of landing, surface. Their preferred mode an intermediary between worlds, of transportation, oddly, is not and you can only get out if the the metro that we imagine, A Metro Named Möbius, Armin Trainman decides so. The choice but what allows us, in “real life”, Joseph Deutsch (1950) of the metro to introduce to change metros faster at We owe this intriguing short- this idea of interconnection Contact Montparnasse or Châtelet: story to astronomer Armin in space and time is probably Tristan Vandeputte very sophisticated conveyer Joseph Deutsch. It depicts the not fortuitous. [email protected]

28 29 Predictions Ours The future of the metro lies between the lines

A lot has happened since the first metro hit the rails 150 years ago. It looks as though the best is yet to come. Let us read between the lines, to find out what the future has in store, mixing surprising anecdotes and major evolutions.

2022 underground transport. excess power is fed 2045 Forget about travelling at into the neighbouring the speed of light’. electricity grid.

2027 2030 More people Inspired by the Brazilian telecommute, travelling invention of ‘Ticket on foot and by Books’, novels containing bicycle. Thanks to travel passes on chrono-urbanism embedded RFID chips, and diversified office The World Metro 160 years after its companies compete hours, rush hours and Congress hosted the creation to relieve to invent the next jam-packed commuting launch of a new range horse-drawn traffic jams, must-have in metro have become things of trains made of super metros are expanding tickets. After tickets of the past. Since the materials to cope worldwide to alleviate inserted in shoes, ticket epidemic, metros have with extreme weather traffic pollution. tattoos compete for become health friendly. conditions in southern Great metropolises the limelight with countries. Among other gradually reduce access implants and biometric features, they are for motor vehicles. identification. 2023 sheathed in an ultralight Le Monde headlines: organic coating to resist ‘Quit your car, catch saline groundwater, a metro’, the New York 2060 they have a mud and Times proclaims: sand discharge device, ‘Metro goes mainstream’. and a king-size gyroscope Dematerialised payments guaranteeing zero and free transport vibrations during 2034 make contactless access Mini-trains glide along an earthquake. to metros the norm. slim steel viaducts Metro stations begin from station to station, their transformation, bringing to life scenes 2029 opening up to their from science fiction surroundings. Inspired People shelter from in our town centres. by termite mounds, freak weather in metro Perhaps those flying Zimbabwean architects tunnels. Concrete tunnel cars they used to make help European engineers walls offer geothermal such a fuss about were to bring more light and Regenerative braking cooling in hot weather actually metro trains. air to the underground. has been installed and warmth in winter. The Guardian headlines and optimised in most ‘More light and speed for metros, and any