Arden railway station, Melbourne

Arden
Future PTV rapid transit station
The entrance and building to the station almost fully completed, December 2023
General information
Location	Laurens Street, North Melbourne, Victoria City of Melbourne Australia
Coordinates	37°48′07″S144°56′25″E / 37.80193°S 144.94031°E / -37.80193; 144.94031
Owned by	VicTrack
Operated by	Metro Trains
Line(s)	Sunshine–Dandenong
Platforms	2
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Accessible	Yes—step free access
Other information
Status	Under construction
Station code	AEN
Fare zone	Myki Zone 1
Website	Arden station
History
Opening	2025 (scheduled)
Electrified	Yes (1500 V DC overhead)
Services
Preceding station Metro Trains Following station Footscray towards Sunbury Sunshine–Dandenong corridor (under construction) Parkville towards East Pakenham or Cranbourne
Track layout Legend to South Kensington 1 2 to Parkville

Arden railway station is a rapid transit railway station on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines, serving the north-western Melbourne suburb of North Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. When opened as part of the Metro Tunnel project, Arden will be an underground premium station, featuring an island platform with two faces. The station was constructed using the cut-and-cover method. ^{[1] [2] [3]} Major construction commenced in April 2018, and completed in January 2024. ^{[4] [5]}

The station sits in a major inner-city urban renewal area for Melbourne, and will anchor the new high-density suburb of Arden. ^[6] A structure plan for the former industrial area was gazetted in 2022. ^[7]

Location

Arden Street was chosen as the site for a new railway station to support the expansion of the central city and provide a focus for the development of a new commercial, residential and activity centre in North Melbourne. ^[8]

The Victorian government has stated that Arden station will support job creation by improving public transport access to inner-west Melbourne, an area which has been earmarked for urban renewal. Fifty-six hectares of land around the proposed Arden station, much of which is owned by the State Government, is earmarked for revitalisation as part of the project. ^{[8] [9]} The new suburb is expected to house around 15,000 people and provide 34,000 jobs. ^[10]

The Arden Station location will also play a key role in supporting the construction of the western section of the Metro Tunnel, as it houses many important facilities such as a concrete batching facility, offices, and storage areas for concrete segments. ^[11] Tunnel boring machines were launched towards the western tunnel entrance in Kensington from this location in 2019. ^[12]

Naming

Following a state government-led naming competition, it was announced that the new station was to be named North Melbourne upon its completion, with the existing North Melbourne railway station to be renamed West Melbourne. ^[13] However, after a number of security and logistical concerns relating to renaming the existing North Melbourne station became apparent, the government announced that it had decided to retain the station's working name of Arden. ^[14]

Design

Arden station platforms under construction, March 2022

The station's external design, made out of clay brick, will reflect the area's industrial heritage. ^[15] A café will be included in the station, with areas for outdoor dining. New public gathering space will provide space for locals and passengers to enjoy. As the station may be prone to flooding, drainage at the station has been designed to capture the natural flow of rainwater and distribute it into nearby garden beds. ^[16]

The central gateway feature of the design is set of 15 large brick archways above the station entrance. ^[17] The concrete arches are lined with 104,000 locally manufactured bricks, and were made offsite then craned onto site in 2022. ^[16] The station entrance area is raised 150 centimetres (4 ft 11 in) to prevent flooding of the tunnel from the nearby Moonee Ponds creek. ^[16] The station was designed by RSHP, Hassell and Weston Williamson. ^[17]

A permanent artwork is being created for the station by Abdul Abdullah as part of the Metro Tunnel project's legacy artwork program. ^[18] The artwork, titled Come Together, will cover the eastern facade of Arden with a mosaic recreating J.S. Calder’s painting View from Royal Park across West Melbourne Swamp (1860) with outstretched aluminium hands reaching across the mosaic. ^[19]

Arden Precinct

The back of Arden station, showing space for future development opportunities, December 2023

The Metro Tunnel is set to transform the Arden precinct, with around 6,000 square metres (65,000 sq ft) of public gathering space likely to be created. As the area is also prone to flooding, the flood-resistant “urban sponge” landscape strategy will be used to absorb stormwater. This will include rain gardens, tree planters and permeable paving. ^[20] Nearby streets such as Laurens and Barwise Street will be upgraded to be more pedestrian-oriented.

Station layout

G	Street level	Entrance/Exit, customer service, retail
B1	Concourse
B2 Platforms	Platform 1	→  Sunshine Dandenong Line   towards Sunbury (Footscray) →
	Island platform, doors will open on the right
	Platform 2	←   Sunshine Dandenong Line   towards Pakenham or Cranbourne (Parkville)

^[21]

References

1. "Dozens of homes to make way for Melbourne Metro project". ABC News . 20 October 2015. Archived from the original on 19 January 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
2. Carey, Adam (5 November 2015). "Melbourne Metro to close busy city streets for up to three years, including Domain Road". The Age . Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
3. "Arden Station construction plans". Metro Tunnel. Melbourne Metro Rail Authority. Archived from the original on 21 June 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
4. "Ar-Done | Premier of Victoria". www.premier.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
5. Jacks, Timna (24 April 2018). "North Melbourne station work begins, booming new suburb set to follow". The Age. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
6. Hatch, Patrick (27 July 2022). "Affordable housing, animal shelter lose out in North Melbourne's Arden precinct plan". The Age. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
7. "Arden Precinct Structure Plan and Planning Scheme Amendment". Victorian Planning Authority. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
8. "Renewing Arden Macaulay". Participate Melbourne. City of Melbourne. Archived from the original on 21 June 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
9. Lucas, Clay; Preiss, Benjamin (1 September 2016). "Metro Tunnel to help revitalise huge chunk of North Melbourne's 'Arden' precinct". The Age. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
10. "Plans for new suburb in Melbourne's inner north unveiled". ABC News. 1 September 2016. Archived from the original on 5 May 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
11. "Building Arden Station" . Retrieved 14 May 2020.
12. "Massive Boring Machine Ready To Build The Metro Tunnel" . Retrieved 14 May 2020.
13. Oaten, James (29 November 2017). "Meet me at Anzac: No 'Station McStation face' for Melbourne's new train stations". ABC News. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
14. Rooney, Kieran (25 January 2020). "New North Melbourne Metro Tunnel station renamed due to emergency fears" . Sunday Herald Sun.
15. "Melbourne Metro Tunnel project: Design unveiled for five new underground train stations". ABC News. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
16. Build, Victoria’s Big (29 November 2022). "Arden Station design and location". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
17. "Updated Melbourne Metro Tunnel station design unveiled". Architecture Australia. 10 August 2021.
18. Build, Victoria’s Big (3 August 2022). "Abdul Abdullah – Arden Station". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
19. Build, Victoria’s Big (9 February 2024). "Abdul Abdullah – Arden Station". Victoria’s Big Build. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
20. Hunn, Patrick (17 July 2017). "Hassell and Weston Williamson appointed to design Melbourne Metro Tunnel stations". Architecture AU. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
21. "Network Development Plan" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 December 2021.