Brussels Metro photo series

Jul

15

2015

Linie 6+2 (blue/orange)

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: Station sign of Koning Boudewijn station

: Island platform of Roi Baudouin station

: Art installation of birds flying at Roi Baudouin station

: Station sign of Heizel station

: Decoration of Heizel station

: Station sign of Houba Brugmann station

: illumination construction of Houba Brugmann station

: Station sign of Stuyvenbergh station

: Decorated tunnel wall of Stuyvenbergh station

: Station sign of Bockstael station

: Escalators and entrance of Bockstael station

: Station sign of Pannenhuis station

: Island platform and seating accommodation of Pannenhuis station

: Train of line 6 at Pannenhuis station

: Plastic seats invite to wait at Pannenhuis station

: Station sign of Belgica station

: Honeycomb-like ceiling of Belgica station

: Island platform of Belgica station

: Station sign of Simonis station

: Tapestry-like walls at Simonis station

: Island platform of Simonis station

: Station sign of Ossegem station

: Service room and emergency store room at Ossegem station

: Station sign of Beekkant station

: Escalator and interior of Beekkant station

: Station sign of Gare de l’Ouest station

: Platform of Gare de l’Ouest station (Brussels West)

: Station sign of Delacroix station

: Waste separation at Delacroix station

: Station sign of Clemenceau station

: Lighting of Clemenceau station

: Mural at Clemenceau station

: Station sign of Gare du Midi station

: supporting pillars and seating accommodation at Gare du Midi station (Zuidstation)

: Station sign of Porte de Hal station

: Side platforms of Porte de Hal (Hallepoort) station

: Passage to underground tramway at Porte de Hal (Hallepoort) station

: Station sign of Munthof station

: Reminiscence to near coin minting building at Munthof station

: Side platforms of Munthof station

: Station sign of Louise station

: Side platforms of Louise station

: View of the opposite side platform of Louise station

: Station sign of Porte de Namur station

: Mural at Porte de Namur station

: Station sign of Trône station

: Trône metro station

: Access control of Trône station

: Support for orientation of blind people

: Station sign of Arts-Loi station

: Coach of the Brussels Metro, a hard-shell plastic seat world

: Station sign of Madou station

: Staircase at Madou station

: Station sign of Botanique station

: Waiting area of Botanique station

: Art installation at Botanique station

: Station sign of Rogier station

: Island and side platforms of Rogier station

: Station sign of Yser station

: Train of line 6 ready to depart from Yser station

: View of the opposite side platform of Yser station

: Station sign of Ribacourt station

: Bridge over the rails to connect side platforms of Ribacourt station

: Side platform of Ribacourt station

: Station sign of Elisabeth station

: View of the opposite side platform of Elisabeth station

Jul

13

2015

Line 3+4 (Premetro)

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: Station sign of Gare du Nord station

: Platform of Gare du Nord station

: Escalators at Gare du Nord station

: Station sign of Rogier station

: Exit of Rogier station

: Station sign of De Brouckère station

: Side platform of Anneessens station

: Station sign of Bourse station

: Station sign of Anneessens station

: Side platforms of Anneessens station

: Station sign of Lemonnier station

: View of the tunnel for the underground tramway at Lemonnier

: Station sign of Gare du Midi station

: Station sign of Hallepoort station

: Side platforms of Hallepoort station

: Plastic mural of a tram at Porte de Hal station

: Passage to metro at Hallepoort station (Porte de Hal)

: Station sign of Parvis de Saint-Gilles station

: Side platforms of Parvis de Saint-Gilles station and arriving train

: Station sign of Horta station

: Station sign of Albert station

: Art installation at the entrance area of Albert station

: Tunnel of undergrond tramways at Albert station

Jul

13

2015

Photographing the Brussels Metro was definitely a challenge. On the one hand the station signs didn’t become standardised, on the other hand plenty of side platforms just do not provide enough space for optimally capturing those signs even with a wide angle prime lens. Bockstael station even has no station sign at all… In general signposting how to get from one line to another isn’t the Brussels Metro’s strong point as while driving along the whole network I notice plenty of people wandering around aimlessly, confused and disoriented.

Here are the photos of all lines of the Brussels Metro

Design-wise being stuck in the 1970‘s, the standardised construction and architecture as well as only a few real gems do not really let motivation and creativity develop. Photographical frustration comes up in particular if you have to drive along those “pearls of the underground” in a 10 minute cycle. Then chair glue is needed the same way like a decent portion of patience, but somehow the photo series turned out to be better than expected.

The main rails leading through the underground of the inner city are shared by several metro lines. For example line 2 gets covered entirely by even longer line 6 and also the course of line 1 matches line 5 most of the time. Being no real subway but an underground speciality the Brussels metro offers an underground tram, so called Premetro. Its lines 3 and 4 share the rails leading through the entire north-south tunnel.

In terms of cleanliness the Brussels Metro has quite some potential. Main annoyance is countless freshly spit out chewing gums. The whole life I never stepped into so many chewing gums before. Beside new trains serving line 1 still also old trains are in operation with automatic doors using compressed air. Sitting in those trains you feel like in a plastic world of hard shell seats that’s having it’s very own spacey charme though.

The whole photo series was created solely using the prime lens Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussels_Metro

Jul