Integrated Station Developments: Shaping cities beyond transport

Rail projects are often seen as infrastructure that simply moves people from A to B. But integrated station developments – and their over-station counterparts – are redefining what transit projects can achieve, and reshaping how our cities grow, connect, and thrive.

THE EVOLUTION OF ISDs

Station projects were once designed around efficiency alone. Today, the best integrated station developments (ISDs) go further – combining transport with housing, hospitality, workplaces, retail, and community amenities. As our urban centres expand and the pressure on land intensifies, this shift towards mixed-use, transit-oriented development (TOD) positions stations as engines of city-making. 

When designed well, these developments evolve beyond gateways into the city — they become destinations in their own right, generating lasting social, cultural, and economic value. The over station development (OSD) at Melbourne’s Town Hall Station exemplifies this shift. Designed by Hassell, it features a mix of retail, dining and office space, and completes the city’s iconic intersection at Swanston and Flinders Streets. It transforms a busy transport interchange into a vibrant civic and commercial heart that effortlessly connects Federation Square, Southbank, and the broader cultural precinct. It’s a catalyst for a more connected, sustainable, and people-centred Melbourne.

BUILDING URBAN COMMUNITIES THROUGH AMENITY-ORIENTED DESIGN

ISDs at their core are about people. Community and amenity-oriented design is a fresh lens through which to view ISDs. It asks: how will these places feel to live, work, or gather in? How can they contribute to wellbeing and a sense of belonging? The answers lie within people-focused designs, prioritising walkability, and ensuring that green space and parks are not only protected but enhanced within these precincts. Beyond ease of movement, they provide social infrastructure that fosters connection and wellbeing. The Waterloo Metro Quarter in Sydney embodies this community-first approach, blending new transport with housing, retail, workplaces, and public spaces. Rather than standing apart, the station is embedded within the life of Waterloo through a vertically connected neighbourhood and a lively ground plaza that reflects the suburb’s rich cultural layers. 

DESIGNING FOR DAILY LIFE

Across the Pacific Ocean, Uni Vanke Mall in Shanghai’s Greater Hongqiao district demonstrates how transport-oriented developments can evolve into vital lifestyle destinations. Designed as part of a major mixed-use precinct, the project transforms a key transport interchange into a walkable urban hub where retail, leisure, and community life converge. Rather than a conventional mall, it functions as a ​“life hub”, a place for shopping, dining, and connection within a series of landscaped terraces and public spaces. It’s a precinct that exemplifies the next generation of ISDs — where transport infrastructure becomes the catalyst for active, social, and sustainable urban living.

FUTURE-PROOFING OUR CITIES 

Well-designed ISDs act as future-proofing tools for our cities. By maximising scarce land around transit, they unlock long-term economic benefits and create adaptable spaces that can respond to changing social, cultural, and technological needs. Importantly, there is no one-size-fits-all model. Each project needs to respond to its unique context — from a dense central business district to a suburban interchange — with tailored approaches that respect local character and community aspirations. The future for urban rail transport is clear: to design stations not just as gateways, but as destinations that shape stronger, more resilient cities for generations to come.

Imagery by Doug & Wolf.