D+R Studio SPRING 2025 - DAVID YOCUM

Atlanta is known as “the City in a Forest,” a nickname that refers to the lush canopy that covers about 46% of the city. However, due to increased urban development and large single family homes replacing smaller ones, the city has lost .43 acres of trees per day for over a decade. This project aims to bring a grove of trees to the site that will grow with the number of annual Amtrak passengers, representing a new chapter in the storied legacy of train travel in the city. A highly sustainable mass timber train hall welcomes passengers and visitors to explore what train travel has to offer. Through the glass facade, travelers view the urban garden, bringing a sense of calm to the vibrant and bustling station. Travelers cross a bridge over the terraced garden to access the train platform, which becomes a continuation of the garden. As trains pull into the station, the grove of trees is the first thing that welcomes them to Downtown Atlanta.