As public transit becomes a necessity for many urban dwellers, cities will demand better infrastructural systems that help keep riders safer and more comfortable. Metro40, a new collaboration between BMW DesignworksUSA and Landscape Forms, reinvents the typical benches and transit shelters with high-tech solutions that make heavily-trafficked street furniture smart and sophisticated--and just might attract new riders in any city that buys in.

Creating a design language for a system used in a variety of cities was a challenge, since it was important that no certain architectural style could predominate. Systems like this also often stay in place for up to 15 years, so the look needed to be very timeless. The designers settled on Möbius strip-like structure for the furniture line which would give it a modern yet universal appearance, but also evokes motion and connectedness like a curving road or rail line.

Climate was another concern, since rainy or sunny conditions would vary greatly due to where the system was installed. The line is fabricated from beveled cast aluminum for durability. The transit shelter, named Connect, has glass panels that can be added to the roof and sides to protect from wind and rain while allowing natural light and visibility inside the shelter. The top glass panel can be glazed to produce more shade in sunnier locations.

For those taking transit at night, shelters should allow people to be seen and also see what's around them. This is another area where glass or open-air panels are helpful so riders inside can see out all sides of the shelters. Soft LED lighting inside the shelters provide safety and also act as a beacon, helping travelers identify bus and train stops at night.

An informational panel, named Show, is removed from its traditional place inside the shelter, increasing safety, but also making maps or timetables more accessible and readable for passengers. If used for advertising, the panels also make the message more easily seen by those in cars or buses traveling past. The panels are backlit on both sides by LED lighting.

In designing the benches, the team wanted to create several versions that used the Möbius strip in a variety of ways. Several options--back and backless to armed and armless--make each bench aesthetically appropriate for every kind of situation, from parks to bus stops.

The designers again looked to climate variations to drive the types of materials used for benches. The benches, named Rest, are available in responsibly-farmed, local woods appropriate to where they're used, or they can be made in more durable aluminum.

Simple details like enlarging the standard public furniture pieces make a world of difference to those seated on them. The 80-inch Rest bench is much longer than the traditional three-person bench, allowing for more personal space and a perceived sense of comfort for riders not being crowded onto a small plank with their surroundings.

Cast-aluminum frames hold these recycling and trash bins made from polyethelene. The bins can be color-coded based on local recycling or composting programs in place, or simply to be more eye-catching to remind people to recycle.

The 12-foot Hi-Glo and 3-foot Lo-Glo lighting system uses LED bulbs and the same Möbius strip construction to gracefully stretch from the ground to the air. The curved area around the lamp also has a functional purpose. With all light focused towards the ground, no energy is wasted in the lamp's output, reducing glare and making for a more natural, warm glow.

The Ride bike racks are seamless and simple, but elegant enough that they attract attention. These little details that reward people when they choose to take transit help elevate an everyday experience. "Bringing great design to public, seemingly anonymous spaces such as transit shelters promotes a very positive, personal impact on people's moods and daily quality of life," says Verena Kloos, president of BMW Group DesignworksUSA.