A Train Station for Downtown Blacksburg, Virginia: An Analysis of Blacksburg's Urban Condition and the Insertion of a New Defining Landmark

Downtown Blacksburg, Virginia, is defined by the presence of the townâ s original sixteen blocks, situated in a four x four square gridded arrangement. The edges of the downtown area are loosely bounded by unique natural and architectural markers and by rules for urban development that contribute to the architectural vernacular of the town. Public spaces are activated by the company of these markers, and sometimes by the repudiation of the urban rules, and thus a secondary reading of public occupation within the downtown sphere manifests itself. This thesis project attempts to identify and analyze the rules and characteristics of Blacksburgâ s urbanity and to project those rules into a new feature of the downtown foursquare grid. A train station that occupies the vicinity of the historic â Huckleberryâ rail line characterizes, defines, and augments the public regions of downtown Blacksburg.