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My World: Underground Stations have their own beauty

Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Michael Nagel said:
One more station - the last one from last Sunday.
Click to expand...

Starting with the elevator on the intermediate level.



Platform:



Corner:



Elevator lowest level from the rear:



The elevator is waiting for the way up:




Michael,

This motif of yellow on black is what is found on highways and parking garages, directing traffic according to sets of rules that allow everything to work like clockwork. Here in this subway station, the motif guides people to some extent, but is mostly allows folk to see zones of functionality. It's familiar, yet not as strict as the marks on roadways.

I really like that you discovered this unique decoration!

Asher
 
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Michael Nagel

Well-known member
Asher,

This station is the most distinct in terms of ground markings I saw so far, but previously I showed two other stations which also have ground markings that divide the platform in functional areas.

First example:


The area shaded by the darker triangles can be interpreted as rest area while the white part delimited by the safety line is the transitional area (other views may differ).

This one is particular - I never saw the seats arranged in a similar way again until now:


Putting the seats on the inner part of the circle actually enhances conversation. One of the comments made allusion to a campfire.
Usually the seats are in line.
The floor has distinctive colors and lines - do you see the purpose?


Best regards,
Michael
 
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Michael Nagel

Well-known member
This station is a little outside the center of Munich but worth the detour.

Looking in the direction of the escalator:



This are the last pictures I will have posted here for a while.
I decided to take some time off OPF.

The posts today are a hat tip to those who cared.

Best regards,
Michael
 
A

Amy Roberts

New member
I love these, only just seen them and they're beautiful. I've spent quite a lot of time on the Munich underground but never really seen it like this. This will teach me to look at my surroundings properly.
 
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Michael Nagel

Well-known member
Amy,

Thanks. There are many popular stations for photographers in Munich, the more demanding task is to capture the less interesting ones in an aproppriate way. I still have to get to this point.

I like the effort put in the architecture of the stations to make these individually reconizable. This is successful to some extend, but for me there are two types of stations: The more or less outstanding ones with individual architectural features and the ones which differ only on colour and maybe a few more details. For the latter i is more difficult to find a way to make these stand out as well.

Did you stay in Munich for some time or was it more frequent travel?

Best regards,
Michael
 
Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I hope folk will revisit this "simple" image many times and just muse. Some may skip past it, as it's not bright, punchy and fashionable. Still, just for me, this is an important experience, worth pausing for and lingering to enjoy for its own sake and the private moments it can provide for contemplation.


Michael Nagel said:
A quick snap on the way to the Biergarten:
Click to expand...




Remarkable for massivity above us and depth that can consume us like the open mouth of some giant reptile.........and just a snap!

Michael, your imagery is so artistically precise, yet appears essentially as made, uncorrected! The accurate nativity of the photograph has not been perfected to lose the human touch. A lesser photographer would have, likely as not, succumbed to the temptation to map and reassign tonalities to increase local contrast with so many available filters and post processing gimmicks. But then it would have pushed the art from realization, underground in a "working station" towards resembling the sterile and empty, (but arguably), prettier CAD rendering of some "projected", but as yet unfulfilled, design! Discipline, wisdom and restraint, here, allow us to perceive not only the architectural achievement but also the continued existential presence of man in the picture. Bravo for trusting us.

Thanks for this beautifully honest series of some of the most handsome and original architectural art we have seen anywhere.

Asher
 
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Michael Nagel

Well-known member
@Doug: Thanks!

@Winston: Thank you!

@Nicolas: Thanks!

@Asher: Thanks! Yes it is a snap. I took three different views in 4 minutes without tripod of course, so there was no time to take, chimp, refine etc. Short, the usual routine to get the best possible shot.

@Antonio: Thanks!

Sun outside/Draußen ist Sonne is veering in a different direction. I saw the shadows and the sunlight which offered the opportunity to draw a connection between inside and outside, the architecture and the people it is made for. Hope the message is visible.

Best regards,
Michael
 
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Michael Nagel

Well-known member
Antonio,

Thanks!

Publishing a book would not be that easy as there some elements concerning copyright. The city of Munich as owner of the underground permits photography for non-commercial purposes and without tripod for everybody. Tripod use needs permission. For commercial work you need permission before starting to take pictures normally, so this might be possible after some negotiations, but I would not count on it. Making a book as present - yes! Selling books - not quite sure...

Best regards,
Michael
 
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Michael Nagel

Well-known member
Winston,

Thanks. The weather is less favorable these days, so there might be one day again where I stay a little underground.

Best regards,
Michael
 
Antonio Correia

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Michael Nagel said:
Antonio, Thanks! Publishing a book would not be that easy as there some elements concerning copyright. The city of Munich as owner of the underground permits photography for non-commercial purposes and without tripod for everybody. Tripod use needs permission. For commercial work you need permission before starting to take pictures normally, so this might be possible after some negotiations, but I would not count on it. Making a book as present - yes! Selling books - not quite sure... Best regards, Michael
Click to expand...

I understand your concern Michael... :)
 
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Michael Nagel

Well-known member
Asher,

Asher Kelman said:
I like the artistic idea of putting in strata of rocks as if they are revealing the geological structure of the soil outside of the resting walls of the underground passageways.
Click to expand...
Yes - it is certainly an interesting idea and makes this station unique.

Best regards,
Michael
 
Asher Kelman

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Michael Nagel said:
It has been a while since last time...

A few more from this station.


Winter.



Elevator



Other side



Interesting reflection above one entrance



Best regards,
Michael
Click to expand...

So glad you are back, and this time the work is even more impressive - very technical but smoothly assertive and so impressively not intimidating. In fact, all this architecture is uplifting. That's pretty impressive as the motifs are generally invented for this work and don't relate that much to our homes. Perhaps there's an echo of Cathedral sensibilities and that's what give us the security.

Asher
 
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