Tilburg railway station area

The station of Tilburg and its surroundings has been tremendously renovated in recent years. It is now a pedestrian-friendly, well-organised public transport hub. cepezed contributed to this transformation with various projects. We designed the public pedestrian tunnel in the station, the new bus station, 2 bicycle sheds and an extra train platform. Beforehand we joined in thinking about designconcepts for the urban organisation of the station area, which is part of a drastic, long-term project called the Tilburgse Spoorzone.

client(s)
tilburg city council and prorail

location
Tilburg

user(s)
public

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public transport hub

In the 1990s, the municipality of Tilburg started the large-scale development of Tilburg's Spoorzone. Bit by bit, this long strip of land along the railway, in the middle of the city, received new functions and a new layout. The former site of Van Gend en Loos became a park, and the railway yard behind the station a lively, out spoken district with flats, restaurants and other functions, partly situated in former factory buildings.

logistics

Logistics play an important role in the redevelopment of the station area. Because some parts of the Spoorzone were closed off from the city for more than a hundred years, the cycle paths and pedestrian connections are brand new. Atelier Quadrat and cepezed proposed that instead of building a large bicycle shed on the centre side, the capacity should be divided over two buildings, one on each side of the track. Another important proposal is the public pedestrian tunnel through the station, connecting northern Tilburg with the centre.

station building

This does mean a few things for the monumental 1965 station building. Koen van der Gaast's design, known for its folded roof construction, or 'kroepoekdak', has been beautifully renovated, disruptive additions of later date have been removed. A modern bus station designed by cepezed was built on the city centre side and the former signal box on track 1 was renovated and given a new function as a relay house. Outside, the traffic situation changed, giving pedestrians the right of way everywhere and allowing them to cross safely towards the city centre. The bus station is easy to find and the parking area for taxis is clear.

→ station building tilburg

platform 4

Part of the renovation of Tilburg station is a new train platform. A sleek canopy was chosen for the design of this, to minimise distractions from the station's iconic and monumental roof. Minimal obstacles on the platform were considered in the design, allowing maximum space for passengers. All installations are hidden neatly in the ceiling structure, which is easily accessible for service and cleaning. A central strip in the canopy provides natural daylight on the platform.

bus station

Car traffic and parking spaces outside have been reduced. Large bicycle parking facilities have been created on both sides of the tracks, blending seamlessly into the new, more spacious urban setting. The new bus station is energy-neutral: it generates as much energy as it consumes. Passengers here wait for their buses indoors, with heated seats and in pleasant light. The seating elements are integrated in large plant boxes.

→ bus station tilburg

bicycle parking

The bicycle parking facilities are stylistically identical and clearly recognisable. The facade construction consists of black steel profiles with integrated rain pipes. Potted glass panels provide natural ventilation. The base of the facade is concrete. This matches the original design and also forms protection against collision. The large amount of glass and the comfortable entrance make both shelters inviting and allow plenty of daylight to enter. The potted facades provide natural ventilation.

→ bicycle parking

energy-efficient and biodiverse

The bicycle parking facilities are energy-efficient. LED lighting, for instance, has been installed, which partly lights up only when there is movement in the parking facility. Lights are partly on at night to contribute to a safe outdoor environment - the parking facility then functions as a large lantern. The bicycle shelters have been carefully fitted in so that the expressiveness of the iconic 'crockpot roof' does not suffer. The roofs of the shelters are covered with sedum. This provides natural cooling in summer and heat retention in winter. Moreover, the sedum contributes to biodiversity in the Spoorzone and slows down water discharge during peak showers, thus relieving the sewers.

perron 4
Het extra perron, perron 4, is het sluitstuk van de aanpak van de ov-knoop. Alle installaties zijn netjes weggewerkt in het plafond van een kleine perronkap, die makkelijk toegankelijk is voor service en schoonmaak. Een baan glas in het dak zorgt voor extra daglichtinval. De perrons worden afgeschermd met de latstructuur van de noordgevel, met de buitenzijde van de fietsenstalling en met een balustrade met een ‘draadconstructie’. De vormgeving van de nieuwe entree aan de noordzijde is een echo van de bestaande entree aan de zuidkant. Ook hier bevindt zich een gevelelement met verticale latten. Dit element krijgt meer body doordat de latjes overlopen in de balustrade van het extra perron dat hier is aangelegd. Aan de onderkant bevindt zich een eigenwijs nieuw detail: een latten-luifel. Rechte vormen en veel glas domineren, zodat de beeldbepalende stationskap optisch de hoofdrolspeler blijft. Ook de volglazen gevelwand aan de noordzijde is gebaseerd op Van der Gaasts 2100 millimeterstramien.

partners

station building, bus station, bicycle parking facilities
client: tilburg city council and prorail
urban design: atelier quadrat
specialisations: various (see project page)

contact
→ Mail bd@cepezed.nl or call our business development team on +31 (0)15 2150000

Tilburg railway station area