Texas Central solicits student designs for bullet-train stations

Texas Central, the private developer of the Texas bullet train, is sponsoring a design competition for university architecture students interested in creating a vision for high-speed train stations.

Texas Central has proposed building a 240-mile high-speed line between Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston. N700 Shinkansen trains will operate on the route.

The student architecture teams are creating designs for Dallas, Houston and Brazos Valley stations, according to a Texas Central press release.

Students enrolled in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, architectural engineering or transportation programs at accredited Texas universities were contacted prior to the fall semester and encouraged to enter the competition.

"Students like these are early adopters, driving demand for travel options like the Texas bullet train," said Holly Read, Texas Central's managing director of external affairs.

Train developers will work in partnership with the university architecture schools on the design project.

Due Oct. 31, the students' proposals are to include a vision statement; station concepts, with considerations for programming, urban connectivity, use of local materials, environmental sustainability and customer focus; a maximum of three presentation posters; and five to 10 conceptual design drawings.

The Texas Central Student Design Competition Committee will evaluate the entries. Finalists will be announced Nov. 7, and the finalist teams then will have two weeks to tweak their original proposals and prepare a 20-minute in-person presentation for the judges.

Winners will be announced Nov. 21 for three categories: bullet train station architecture design; urban design; and sustainable design. Winning teams will receive $5,000 for their school and $2,000 to be split among team members.

"We are honored to be working with Texas Central to provide our students with a unique hands-on opportunity to contribute to a real-world transportation solution," said April Ward, professor of architecture at Prairie View A&M University, one of the participating universities.