Tickets HERE
As more of us are avoiding planes for environmental reasons and the growth of cities continues, travelling and discovering new places by train is becoming more appealing. To satiate the appetite of travellers, architecture aficionados and rail enthusiasts alike, Christopher Beanland returns to Leeds to talk about his new book Station: A Journey Through 20th and 21st Century Railway Architecture and Design (Batsford). Chris will cover a plethora of architectural styles from the last century, from understated Art Deco glamour and sleek Brutalism to stylish shipping container solutions and riotous Postmodernism. The talk will venture beyond stations to examine modern subway systems and signal boxes. Featured in talk will be LA’s iconic Union Station, the verdant Atocha Station in Madrid and Warsaw’s spectacular modernist stations, as well as less familiar examples such as Saudi Arabia’s high-speed Haramain Line, the joyous monorail at Walt Disney World Resort and Mexico’s anticipated Tren Maya.
The talk celebrates the launch of the book in April 2024 and copies of the book will be on sale at the event. Alongside Chris's own exploration of railway architecture and design around the world, the book also contains essays by architecture and travel writers on topics including hanging railways in Germany and Japan, the intriguing architecture and design of Berlin’s U-Bahn stations and the joy of interrailing. Illustrated with glorious photographs throughout, this stylish and contemporary book is a celebration of modern railway architecture at its best.
Chris Beanland's diverse body of work covers architecture, leisure, satire and the media. Alongside two novels, he has written four books on the built environment: City Parks: A Stroll Around the World's Most Beautiful Places (Batsford 2023), Concrete Concept (Frances Lincoln, 2016), Lido (Batsford, 2020) and Unbuilt (Batsford, 2021). His journalistic writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph and The Long + Short. He is also the host of Park Date, a comedy podcast. He can be found on Twitter @ChristopherBeanland and Instagram @christopherbeanland
The event will be chaired by David Ellis, a transport professional and urban historian based in Leeds (@davidinwrofy).