You may recall our story from last week about the open source design competition that MARTA sponsored for new bus shelter designs. On the heels of that little design treat, we got a tip from a prominent architect friend that Atlanta's erstwhile public transit authority recently rolled out some new bus shelters of its own. We promptly headed over to Freedom Parkway near the entrance to the Carter Center to behold one of these new structures. They were- as our friend described- simple and elegant, fashioned out of stainless steel and glass, with a sturdy bench, maps and a spare illuminated frame for advertising. And green-minded folk will appreciate that they are powered by a photovoltaic cell (that's solar powered to the layperson). All in all, this is a win for design in a town that sometimes loses its way in that department...sleek in form, practical in function and generally a welcome addition to the landscape. It's almost like MARTA is trying to boost ridership.
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