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Collection by Aaron Britt

Kansas City Bus Shelters

One of our favorite writers here at Dwell is architect Dan Maginn. And he does some pretty stellar buildings as well with his Kansas City, Missouri, firm El Dorado Inc. You can keep an eye out for one of the firms recent projects in our October issue, but to tide you El Dorado fiends over for the moment, here are a pair of bus shelters the firm recently designed and erected at the Commonwealth Development in the Hyde Park neighborhood of KC.

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The materials for the shelters, which took four weeks to design and four weeks to build, are galvanized steel, TREX composite lumber and two-layer graffitti resistant acrylic.
The materials for the shelters, which took four weeks to design and four weeks to build, are galvanized steel, TREX composite lumber and two-layer graffitti resistant acrylic.
If you look closely you can see that a series of logos are printed on the acrylic panels. Each is associated with an apartment building in the area—there are five that are part of the Commonwealth Development. "It's pretty subtle," says Maginn, "but its a way to add a layer of experience to make waiting for a bus a bit more interesting." I still wonder where the bus maps will go.
If you look closely you can see that a series of logos are printed on the acrylic panels. Each is associated with an apartment building in the area—there are five that are part of the Commonwealth Development. "It's pretty subtle," says Maginn, "but its a way to add a layer of experience to make waiting for a bus a bit more interesting." I still wonder where the bus maps will go.
The shelter on E. Armour Blvd. shows a certain resonance with the ornamented faced behind it, though is undoubtedly a more modern take. Maginn says that the goal was "clean, transparent but sheltering, easily maintainable and durable."
The shelter on E. Armour Blvd. shows a certain resonance with the ornamented faced behind it, though is undoubtedly a more modern take. Maginn says that the goal was "clean, transparent but sheltering, easily maintainable and durable."
Here you can see the exposed hardware and joinery for the shelters. This from the El Dorado website: "While we can’t promise that the shelters will keep you safe in a tornado, they’ll go along way toward keeping you dry in a rainstorm, or shaded from the blazing sun that we’re all so familiar with during August here in Missouri."
Here you can see the exposed hardware and joinery for the shelters. This from the El Dorado website: "While we can’t promise that the shelters will keep you safe in a tornado, they’ll go along way toward keeping you dry in a rainstorm, or shaded from the blazing sun that we’re all so familiar with during August here in Missouri."
The real test for infrastructure like this though is ultimately how many people make use of it. Too early to tell now, but as for a nice, modern addition to the neighborhood, these shelters do the trick. Don't miss a word of Dwell! Download our FREE app from iTunes, friend us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!
The real test for infrastructure like this though is ultimately how many people make use of it. Too early to tell now, but as for a nice, modern addition to the neighborhood, these shelters do the trick. Don't miss a word of Dwell! Download our FREE app from iTunes, friend us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!
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