Lavender MRT Station

Lavender MRT Station (EW11) is an underground Mass Rapid Transit train station in Singapore. It is located along the East West Line between Bugis and Kallang. This station serves the residents of Kallang and is within the vicinity of the planned Jalan Besar.

History
Although it was built together with the original two-line MRT network, Lavender Station only became operational on 4 November 1989, almost exactly two years after the first MRT trains started running in Singapore as the original network was opened in phases. Lavender Station was opened along with the section of the East West Line from City Hall to Tanah Merah.

Similar to other older stations, Lavender has been renovated to make it accessible to the physically and visually challenged. Apart from this and some other minor works, the station has remained virtually unchanged since it was built in the late 1980s.

To commemorate Total Defence Day in 2000, the Singapore Civil Defence Force conducted the first ever Shelter Open House at this station on February 15 and February 16, together with Tiong Bahru and Somerset stations.

Design
The station has a typical three-level design, two of which are underground. Moving from the deepest level upwards, these are the train platform level, the concourse level above it and finally the exit structures at street level. The platform is similar to most single-line underground MRT stations, where train tracks run along either side of a shared, central platform. The linear platform is parallel to and directly under Kallang Road.

The concourse level is a simple 'T' shaped space physically in between and functionally mediating the lower platform level, which is restricted to staff and train passengers, and the upper street level, which is a public space and thoroughfare. The central trunk or arm of the 'T' lies immediately above the platform level. This area is restricted to staff and paying passengers, who walk along this otherwise empty space to get to the stairs, escalators and lifts they need to descend to the platform level.

This central space bisects another linear space, which serves as an underground pedestrian passageway under Kallang Road. This passageway is permanently publicly accessible, and is never closed even when the train station proper shuts down for the night. The passageway contains ATMs, two retail shops, and advertisements.

The most important area in the concourse level is where the two linear spaces mentioned so far intersect. This is where the station control booth, ticketing machines and ticket gates are located, as well as various maps and fare information tables.

Finally, the station has two exit structures at street level, on either side of Kallang Road, and connected by the underground public passageway mentioned earlier. Kallang Road is a two-way road, and each station exit is located right next to a public bus stop, directly across the road from each other.

The exit located next to outbound traffic from the city is located next to the CityLights condominium. This is a simple pavilion-like structure covering stairs and escalators leading down to the concourse level. The structure is also connected by covered walkways to the adjacent bus stop and the nearby public housing estate, albeit these are not part of the station proper.

The exit located next to inbound traffic into the city is located next to the ICA Building. This exit comprises a main structure covering the stairs and escalotors, as well as an attached smaller structure containing the passenger lift. The exit structure is linked to both the adjacent bus stop and the ICA building by covered walkways. This area is busy throughout the day, as many people pass through it on their way to and from the ICA building, where they go to apply for or renew their passports, work permits, etc. During weekdays and early evenings, small itinerant or mobile newspaper and ice cream vendors can be found in this area, as well as makeshift stands selling plastic or imitation leather passport cases.

In terms of materials and style, Lavender Station is similar to Bugis. As an older station in a somewhat low key area, the station lacks the more expensive finishes or public artworks found in stations serving more high-traffic or high-profile districts, or which are younger or recently renovated.

Accessibility
Like most MRT stations in Singapore, Lavender has been retrofitted sometime between 2000 and 2006 to make it accessible to the physically challenged. The station entrance next to the ICA Building has a wheelchair-accessible lift connecting the street and concourse level. As with other stations, a second lift connects the concourse and train platform levels, and is located beyond the station ticket gates. Apart from these lifts, the station also has accessible toilets, and various markings and features to help the visually challenged to make their way through the station.

Surrounding area
Despite the apparent modernity of its surroundings, the station lies at the historic boundary of the original colonial settlement of Singapore in 1819, which was marked by the adjacent Rochor River. The surrounding area comprised old shophouses, factories, villages, rivers and swamps until the 1960s, when the area was transformed by urban renewal and high-rise public housing.

The oldest buildings in the area include the Hajjah Fatimah Mosque and the Kampong Glam heritage district. Besides these, most of the area comprises high-rise public housing estates. Modern multi-storey commercial or mixed-use buildings in the area include Golden Mile Complex and The Concourse, both icons designed by famous architects, as well as Golden Mile Tower, Sultan Plaza, Textile Centre and Keypoint.

Two new private residential developments have also emerged in the vicinity – the 'CityLights' condominum and Southbank, a home-office development. The proximity of Lavender Station is a strong selling point for both projects. A new hotel is also above the station – V Hotel, at Jellicoe Road, in which it is accessible to the station.