Marina Bay MRT station
Marina Bay MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the North South line (NSL) and Circle Line (CCL), operated by SMRT Trains. The station is located on the boundary of the Downtown Core and Straits View planning areas in Singapore and was built alongside Bayfront Avenue. As the name suggests, it is located near Marina Bay. Marina Bay station was one of the last stations to be completed in the early phases of the MRT network, opening on 4 November 1989. It was the terminus of the North South line until  the line's extension to Marina South Pier station in 2014. The station became an interchange station with the Circle line (CCL) upon the completion of the two-station branch extension to this station from Promenade station in January 2012. The station will become a triple-line interchange when Stage 3 of the Thomson–East Coast line (TEL) opens in 2022. History. North South Line. Civil Contract 310 for the construction of the cut-and-cover tunnels as well as Marina Bay MRT station was awarded to Gammon-Antara Koh joint venture at a value of in April 1986. The  construction of the tunnel to the station was rather challenging at the time, as the tunnel went below the Telok Ayer Basin and the station and tunnels were to be built in soft soil. Due to the soft marine clay, open excavation was not possible. Divers had to cut the trenches for the MRT tunnels, in zero visibility and very muddy water. A concrete base for the tunnels was then laid with the water pumped out for the tunnels and the station to be built on. The tunnels were then covered with another layer of concrete before the seabed was  refilled. During the construction, a World War II-era bomb was found at the work site. The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Bomb Disposal Unit was called and the bomb was safely detonated elsewhere. The station opened on 4 November 1989 and was the southern terminus of the North South line, until the NSL extension to Marina South Pier station opened in 2014. On 8 January 2006, this station was one of the four stations that participated in Exercise Northstar V. Circle Line interchange. Contract 901 for the construction and completion of Marina Bay CCL station was awarded to Hock Lian  Seng Infrastructure Pte. Ltd. for in February 2008. The scope also included addition and alteration works to the existing North South line (NSL) Marina Bay station, localised diversions of the East Coast Parkway (ECP) and Marina Street and the demolition of a vehicular underpass. Construction of the station has started in February 2008 and was completed on schedule by January 2012. During the construction, the entrance (Exit A) to the station had to be relocated for construction works for the Circle line station. As announced on 28 November 2011, the station opened on 14 January 2012 as part of the  two-station extension from Promenade, with an opening ceremony the day before. The Circle Line station is also the only underground station in the network with the ticket concourse below the platform. Circle Line Stage 6. The station was announced on 29 October 2015 as part of Stage 6 of the Circle line. It is one of the two existing CCL stations, the other being HarbourFront, that will be connected to Stage 6 of the Circle Line, completing the "circle". Contract 886 for the construction of cut and cover tunnels at Marina Bay Area between the Prince Edward and Marina  Bay stations was awarded to Koh Brothers Building & Civil Engineering Contractor (Pte.) Ltd. at a sum of in September 2017. Construction began in 2017, and is expected to be completed by 2026. Thomson-East Coast Line interchange. On 15 August 2014, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that Marina Bay station would be part of the proposed Thomson East-Coast line (TEL). The station will be constructed as part of Phase 3, consisting of 13 stations between the Stevens and Gardens by the Bay stations. On 9 March 2022, Transport Minister S Iswaran announced in Parliament that TEL 3 would  open in the second half of that year. Contract T226 for the design and construction of Marina Bay TEL Station and associated tunnels was awarded to Taisei Corporation at a sum of S$425 million (US$ million) in February 2014. Construction started in 2014, with expected completion in 2022. The construction involves the demolition of the East Coast Parkway and Marina Station Road, which also affects the adjacent Shenton Way station. Ground freezing was applied for the first time in Singapore rail construction when building the Thomson–East Coast line part of this station, where it crosses underneath the existing North  South line and Circle line tunnels. Station details. Design. The Circle line station was designed by Aedas, Quarry Bay & Aedas Pte Ltd (Station Architect). Visibility, integration and efficiency were the focal points when designing the CCL part of the station, as the station entrances need to integrate into the park where the station is located. The design also has provisions for a future underground pedestrian network (converted from a temporary maintenance facility near the station) and connections to future developments. The translucent canopy acts as a skylight to allow natural light into the underground hall. The large entrance also allows  large amounts of natural light to enter the station. To limit the visual impact of the station to the surrounding park landscape, only the lift, escalators, the lightweight ETFE canopy and the reflective pool are visible from street level, giving users a full view of the park from the station entrance. The reflective pool also provides a smooth transition between the exits and the park. The station design was the winner of the Small Project Award at the World Architecture Festival in 2012. Other awards includes the Land Transport Excellence Awards 2012 (as the Best Design Rail / Road Infrastructure – Project  Partner), the 2013 UIPT Asia-Pacific Grow with Public Transport Award and honourable mention for the Singapore Institute of Architects Architectural Design Awards 2012. Art-in-Transit. The station showcases two artworks as part of the Art-in-Transit programme. The artwork "Flowers in Blossom II" by Tay Chee Toh was originally hung in Orchard station and was re-commissioned as homage to the legacy of art in Singapore’s MRT train stations. The artwork displays hanging delicate sculptures which resemble flowers. Another artwork, "Train Rides on Rainy Days" by Nah Yong En, is displayed at the platform level of  the station. Fourteen raindrop pictures represent scenes normally seen by commuters as they gaze out of the window from a train during rainy season. Services. On the North South line, the station is located between Raffles Place and Marina South Pier stations. North South line trains operate every 2–5 minutes from approximately 6:00am (6:25am on Sundays and Public holidays) to 11.30pm for both directions. On the Circle line, the station is currently the terminus of the Circle line extension, with shuttle services from the station terminating at Stadium station. The shuttle service operates with a frequency of 5–7 minutes on  both peak or non-peak hours from 6:00am (6:24am on Sundays and Public holidays) to 11:25pm.