Sustainable and modular facade design for technical buildings along railroad tracks

In the coming years, ProRail will renew 1500 technical buildings along the railway. cepezed, together with Superuse Studio, has been selected to design these buildings' facades. Our facade design for the rail-related buildings is green, minimalist and modular.

criteria
Rail-related buildings ensure that train traffic can run safely; the technology in the building has to do with the electrical catenary, the signal switchboards and such. ProRail seizes the opportunity of the necessary renovation to make the buildings more sustainable and future-proof as well. The requested facades should therefore be circular, modular and nature-inclusive, but they should also add design quality and ensure that the buildings match both the landscape and the railway.

4 façade variants
Superuse accounts for 2 designs, cepezed for 1 design. Earlier ons, a design has been developed together with Bureau Spoorbouwmeester and Studio Marco Vermeulen. In total, ProRail can therefore choose from 4 different façade types for its round of renewal. The first prototypes will be ready by the end of this year. The designs will be included in a design catalogue, which will be used in the tender for the renewals.

minimal use of materials, maximum greenery
cepezed's façade design is based on minimal use of materials, maximum greenery and a modular system. The façade is reduced to slender, linked frames, which lend themselves to plant growth. In the countryside, this allows the rail-bound building to blend into its surroundings. In high-urban areas, the extra greenery can reduce heat stress. The choice of vertical climbers reduces management, the planting complements the local ecology, provides birds and insects with a hiding and nesting place and forms a natural barrier against graffiti.

upcycled scaffolding parts
The modular façade system consists of upcycled scaffolding parts with solar panels on the eaves and a standard module size of 1200mm. Due to this principle, elements are replaceable, interchangeable and very efficiently have just one production size. Rainwater is collected with a moss sedum roof, which ensures even water release to the site.

Would you care to learn more about our work? Here you can find more about another project we picked up for ProRail.