Head House

A woman at top of stairs looks up to a large semi-circle skylight.

The design of head houses sought to draw light down into the lobby of the subway.

Case Study:

Other Photos from Case Study

Black wall with backlit neighborhood maps and signage

Aerial photo of terminus station as well as its adjoining train yard and maintenance facility

Route map of the subway and train lines against the Fukuoka shoreline

Photo of the length of the subway platform with benches and columns down the middle. Walls with sliding gates, prevent riders from falling onto the tracks.

Photo of woman pushing a baby carriage across the minimal gap between the platform and train.

A woman in a wheelchair rolls through a wide fare gate as a woman walks through in the other direction

Photo of sign that lists each station’s name in English, Japanese, and its accompanying unique symbol such as a fish, tree or other object.

Wall of subway with Umebayashi's pink color and flower-like symbol

Key of the tactile map shows symbols for toilets, exits, escalators, etc.

Simple floor plan that shows the B1 Concourse Level and the B2 Platform Level

Detailed floor plans of both floors that includes structural elements as well as feature for users

View looking down a curved subway tunnel, mostly darkish and dark

Interior of subway car with green seats along the wall and three doorways per side of car.

Close up of high backed seating on the subway car and curved stainless steel handgrips.

Dimensioned elevation of four car train with figures of differing physical abilities for scale.

Woman in wheelchair exits train onto brightly lit platform and heads to a large glass elevator.

Large single user bathroom with brown tiled floor and white fixtures.

bench that is approximately 8 feet long and has arm rests in the middle but not at the ends.

Station entrance. Stairs framed by bright green and an elevator close by to the left

Two women, one in a wheelchair and one standing, using fare vending machines.

Stairs and escalator crossing in a lobby. There are tactile bumps on the surface of the stair landings.

Women using her hands to read a tactile map

Wall with a screen showing a map as well as a tactile map to the right of that.

Woman holds out her cell phone and listens

Funding By

National Endowment for the Arts

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