Rockville Metro Station Canopy

The modern version of Rockville Station was opened in 1984 by the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority. Though the original canopy is renowned for its innovative architecture, the concrete structure was showing signs of corrosion and spalling. The newly constructed canopy shields not only pedestrians, but also escalators, from the elements of the Northeast.

Over one million passengers board Rockville Station each year. In addition to retaining the same historic design that those passengers have come to know and love, they will also have the luxury of improved lighting and upgraded signage and public announcement speakers after renovation. The architectural style that makes Rockville Station stand out is known as Brutalism architecture.

This style is characterized by minimalistic construction that showcases bare building materials and structural elements of the decorative design. This is enhanced by the minimal cladding, leaving the hot-dip galvanized steel exposed for all to see. The canopy is highlighted by its exposed skylights, which became popular in elevated metro stations in the 1970’s.

Although the newly constructed canopy spans over 300 feet in length, demolition and construction were completed in under four months. Hot-dip galvanizing was a crucial component to the timeline of this tight schedule, as was communication amongst the galvanizer and the two fabricators involved. Due to the deteriorating concrete of the original structure, HDG was chosen because of its coating durability and corrosion protection characteristics.