This is the main monorail station linking the Euphoria suburb with central Bricktopia. It is built immediately adjacent to the Cathedral of Ice and the two buildings are physically attached. Although the station picks up styling cues from the Cathedral of Ice, the station projects a much more modern and adventuresome facade. From its Art Deco central tower project two arched, glass canopies shielding waiting passengers from the elements. The two small "mushroom" towers in front of the building serve as artistically disguised vents for the heating/cooling system.
In the above nighttime shot, one can clearly see the multiple layers of supports and paneling that make up the structure. As with many other Bricktopia buildings designed in the flamboyant Gothic/Baroque/Deconstructivist style, much of the "supports" are purely artistic. In fact, several of the supports have a difficult time supporting their own weight, let alone the weight of the actual building.
The lower floor includes a ticket booth, cafe, and waiting area. See the link below for pictures of these areas.
| This shot
shows the rear of the station. Two sets of stairs come down from the
upper platform to an intermediate landing.
From this landing, a citizen may utilize a second staircase to enter the lower level of the station (and optionally exit to the street). Alternatively, from the landing, an individual may take the opposite passage (at the bottom of the image) descending the "stairway to heaven" into the Cathedral of Ice. At the very bottom of the picture, one can see the very tip of the Cathedral of Ice Choir. Note how buttressing elements are shared between the two buildings. |
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In the above picture, one can better make out the glass canopy over the waiting area. This canopy was constructed from left-over Star Wars II movie props. In a particular stroke of luck, a pricing accident at Target allowed many of these to be purchased at half the normal cost. The remainder were purchased at www.bricklink.com from the surplus of other builders.
In the background, one can see large portions of the Euphoria monorail lines to central Bricktopia. One might remark that these tracks bear some resemblance to a roller-coaster. The designers reckoned that this would make the citizens feel as if they were enjoying an amusement ride on the way to work and back. Unfortunately, the change in pitch, altitude and speed caused by such track permutations serve to make many passengers sick. It has proven quite popular with teenagers though. They find the monorail a convenient and fun way to get away from the boring Euphoria suburbs and check out the inner city. Here, they can buy drugs, gamble, and take part in other self-destructive behavior that teenagers find so curiously appealing.