Cepezed designs first self-sufficient bus station in The Netherlands
02/05/2019.
[Spoorlaan] Netherlands
metalocus, ÁLVARO MUÑOZ
metalocus, ÁLVARO MUÑOZ
Recently, the new bus station in Tilburg was taken into use. Just like the renovation of the train station and the new bicycle parkings in the railway zone, the bus station was designed by cepezed architects. The new public transport facility generates its own energy and its design is thoroughly integrated in the urban context.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Photograph by cepezed | Lucas van der Wee. Image courtesy of V2com.
Urban site plan. Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Image by cepezed. Image courtesy of V2com.
Site plan. Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Image by cepezed. Image courtesy of V2com.
Axonometric section. Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Image by cepezed. Image courtesy of V2com.
Section and Axonometric section. Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Image by cepezed. Image courtesy of V2com.
Construction detail. Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Image by cepezed. Image courtesy of V2com.
Diagram. Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Image by cepezed. Image courtesy of V2com.
Sketch. Self-sufficient bus station by Cepezed architects. Image by cepezed. Image courtesy of V2com.
cepezed architects has designed this new station, which has 250m². of solar panels that contribute to this station having an energy expenditure equal to the one consumed. All this together with a delicate and elegant design, with a very light structure that creates the sensation that the same cover floats, increased perception with the application of sheets of ETFE, that allow the illumination of the interior space through the cover itself.
Description of project by cepezed architects
The new bus station is a part of the large-scale revitalization of the Tilburg public transport hub. It is fully tailored to the comfort of the travellers and to a clear and pleasant traffic flow. The facility is situated on the west side of the train station, roughly at the place that also occupied the former bus station, but with the location of the former Tilburion apartment block included on the far west side.
Minimalistic circuit
The basic setup consists of a series of very thin columns with an evenly minimalistic awning structure on top of them. The construction forms a triangular circuit with a length of over 160 meters and an open space in the centre. The bus positions are arranged around the outer side; six for boarding and one for deboarding. The awning circulation runs from 14 to 30 meters width in total and has two offsets in its contour. These are primarily functional and align with the urban context, but visually, they also resonate elegantly with the monumental roof structure of the train station.
This also has an articulated structure and moreover seems to float, just like the bus station awning. The setoffs divide the overall structure into three segments. In the centre of every segment, there is green plantation surrounded by a sitting edge for the travellers. On the wide end of the circuit, the centre additionally contains a pavilion. This houses a staff canteen for the bus drivers, a public transport service point and a commercial space that has to find its function yet. An elevated terrace adjoins this commercial space.
Awning with pv and etfe
The spacious awning all around fully covers the bus platforms and additionally part of the buses. Thus, travellers can always board and deboard sheltered and protected from the rain. The structure consists of a steel framework covered with ETFE-foil. The lighting is fitted above this foil. During the day, the awning filters the sunlight, while during the dark hours, it becomes one large and spacious lighting element that strongly adds to the travellers’ feeling of safety. 250 m2 of solar panels lie atop of the awning.
In strong daylight, these cast a shadow pattern on the ETFE that makes the travellers aware of their presence. The panels supply sufficient energy for all functionalities of the bus station, including the lighting of the awning, the digital information signs, the staff canteen and the public transport service point. The commercial space has its own energy circuit and energy meter.
Integral materialization and detailing
Based on considerations regarding aesthetics as well as comfort, functionality and the use of materials, a lot of attention was paid to a setup, materialization and detailing that is as elementary as possible. Cepezed conceived a clear and pure system for the bus station and engineered it meticulously. For example, the thin columns composed of steel plates and strips also contain water drainage and electric cabling. The S.O.S.-button and intercom are also integrated into one of the columns. The folded sheet steel that functions as the central load-bearing stability beam also functions as a gutter.
The lighting of the terrace adjoining the pavilion is integrated into the beams spanning the awning structure at that point. The sitting edges of black pigmented concrete contain a number of seats executed in strip steel with integrated heating. The drainage holes in the load-bearing gutter are also used for fixation of the stretched ETFE-foil, while the digital information displays are invisibly fastened. The pavilion has a function in the overall stability of the awning. Also, movement sensors have been integrated into the steel edge of the awning every 14 meters. These respond to the presence of busses and people so that the lighting is sufficient in every situation while the use of energy is kept to a minimum.
Inclusive, low maintenance and future proof
The bus station was also designed for inclusiveness. For example, the elevated terrace can be reached by wheel chairs through a ramp and the handrails between the terrace and the platforms have been provided with braille signing. The ETFE foil of the awning is self-cleaning and hardly needs any maintenance.
For service on the solar panels and electrical equipment, the awning circulation is easily accessible via the pavilion and a walkable cable gutter. The overall unornamented design with a minimum of edges and corners reduces the costs for cleaning. Additionally, for the future, the bus station is already prepared for the placement of extra electrical equipment that can quickly charge electrical busses.
More information
Architects
Architectenbureau cepezed, Delft
Collaborators
Consultant building physics, fire safety and Sustainability.-Nelissen Ingenieursbureau b.v., Eindhoven.
Consultant mechanical & electrical engineering.- Nelissen Ingenieursbureau b.v., Eindhoven.
Structural engineering.- IMd Raadgevende Ingenieurs, Rotterdam.
Landscape architect/urban planner.- Atelier Quadrat, Rotterdam.
Contractor steel construction.-Buiting Staalbouw, Almelo.
Etfe roof.-Buitink - Technology, Duiven.
Lighting.-Atelier LEK, Rotterdam.
Client
City council Tilburg
Contractor
Main contractor.-BAM Infra bv, Gouda.
Contractor installations.-Hoppenbouwers Techniek, Udenhout.
Area
180m²
Dates
Design phase.-October 2016 – September 2017
Construction phase.-March 2018 – March 2019
Jan Pesman, Ronald Schleurholts, Paddy Sieuwerts. cepezed
cepezed is a Dutch Architects firm, with headquarters in Delft, Netherlands. Cepezed is a architecture office with a of projects both in and outside its home country The Netherlands.
Assignments address high-profile and sustainable projects such as the revitalization of State Office De Knoop, the circular catering pavilion The Green House, the dismountable Temporary Courthouse in Amsterdam and the new pier at Schiphol Airport, but also e.g. state-of-the-art laboratories, infrastructure and ingenious educational buildings. Cepezed uses an integral design method in which building components often fulfil various functions at the same time.
This way, the agency forges various aspects such as spatial design, construction and installation techniques into an indivisible whole. Cepezed has a lot of in-house knowledge: there are internal specialists for every design part and the office has separate departments and sister companies for interior design, property development and construction management. With a constant focus on buildable and high-quality architecture, the various branches collaborate closely and transparently.
Jan Pesman (Utrecht, 1951) studied architecture at the Technical University in Delft and was one of the founders of cepezed in 1973. In 1971 he was co-initiator of the Utopia scientific entertainment magazine, to which he remained connected as editor and designer until 1977. Pesman was also a co-initiator of the still existing magazine for design Items. From 1983 to 1992 he was a member of the editorial board. Jan Pesman was a senior lecturer at the Academy of Architecture in Rotterdam during the 1994-1995 academic year. In the period 2010-2014, he was chairman of the Construction Department of the Royal Institute of Engineers KIVI NIRIA. In 2018, he was named Delft Entrepreneur of the Year by the professional jury of the Delft Verbindt business platform. In addition to his many activities as an architect and spatial designer, he gives lectures at home and abroad.
Ronald Schleurholts (Roden, 1972) studied architecture at the Technical University in Delft, where he focused on architecture, building methodology and interior design. During his studies he worked for some time at the architectural firms Claus & Kaan and Koen van Velsen. He has been working at cepezed since 1999, where he joined at the beginning of 2005 as a partner and member of the board. In 2009, the European Center for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies and the Chicago Atheneum voted Schleurholts as one of the forty most influential emerging European architects aged under forty. Between 2010 and 2015 he was a board member of the Association of Dutch Architects (BNA) and between 2011 and 2015 chairman of the Living Daylights Foundation. In 2019, he was selected for the ABN AMRO Sustainable 50, an annual inventory of leaders in sustainability within the Dutch construction and real estate sector. He also gives lectures at home and abroad about sustainable and integral design.
Paddy Sieuwerts (The Hague, 1977) studied architecture at the Rotterdam Institute for Architecture Architecture Civil Engineering & Urbanism and architecture at Delft University of Technology. Since his graduation in 2003, he has worked at various architectural firms, including cepezed and Atelier Kempe Thill in Rotterdam. He also worked at a series of industrially designed distribution centers at cepezed's sister company Bouwteam. In 2004 he definitively rejoined cepezed and developed, among other things, into a specialist in the field of estimates, forms of cooperation, contracts and large-scale non-residential construction, including (lab) buildings for scientific research. Sieuwerts was also part of cepezed's management team for many years. In 2015 he became a partner within the agency. He has been a member of the BNA Council of Members since the beginning of 2019.
Assignments address high-profile and sustainable projects such as the revitalization of State Office De Knoop, the circular catering pavilion The Green House, the dismountable Temporary Courthouse in Amsterdam and the new pier at Schiphol Airport, but also e.g. state-of-the-art laboratories, infrastructure and ingenious educational buildings. Cepezed uses an integral design method in which building components often fulfil various functions at the same time.
This way, the agency forges various aspects such as spatial design, construction and installation techniques into an indivisible whole. Cepezed has a lot of in-house knowledge: there are internal specialists for every design part and the office has separate departments and sister companies for interior design, property development and construction management. With a constant focus on buildable and high-quality architecture, the various branches collaborate closely and transparently.
Jan Pesman (Utrecht, 1951) studied architecture at the Technical University in Delft and was one of the founders of cepezed in 1973. In 1971 he was co-initiator of the Utopia scientific entertainment magazine, to which he remained connected as editor and designer until 1977. Pesman was also a co-initiator of the still existing magazine for design Items. From 1983 to 1992 he was a member of the editorial board. Jan Pesman was a senior lecturer at the Academy of Architecture in Rotterdam during the 1994-1995 academic year. In the period 2010-2014, he was chairman of the Construction Department of the Royal Institute of Engineers KIVI NIRIA. In 2018, he was named Delft Entrepreneur of the Year by the professional jury of the Delft Verbindt business platform. In addition to his many activities as an architect and spatial designer, he gives lectures at home and abroad.
Ronald Schleurholts (Roden, 1972) studied architecture at the Technical University in Delft, where he focused on architecture, building methodology and interior design. During his studies he worked for some time at the architectural firms Claus & Kaan and Koen van Velsen. He has been working at cepezed since 1999, where he joined at the beginning of 2005 as a partner and member of the board. In 2009, the European Center for Architecture, Art, Design and Urban Studies and the Chicago Atheneum voted Schleurholts as one of the forty most influential emerging European architects aged under forty. Between 2010 and 2015 he was a board member of the Association of Dutch Architects (BNA) and between 2011 and 2015 chairman of the Living Daylights Foundation. In 2019, he was selected for the ABN AMRO Sustainable 50, an annual inventory of leaders in sustainability within the Dutch construction and real estate sector. He also gives lectures at home and abroad about sustainable and integral design.
Paddy Sieuwerts (The Hague, 1977) studied architecture at the Rotterdam Institute for Architecture Architecture Civil Engineering & Urbanism and architecture at Delft University of Technology. Since his graduation in 2003, he has worked at various architectural firms, including cepezed and Atelier Kempe Thill in Rotterdam. He also worked at a series of industrially designed distribution centers at cepezed's sister company Bouwteam. In 2004 he definitively rejoined cepezed and developed, among other things, into a specialist in the field of estimates, forms of cooperation, contracts and large-scale non-residential construction, including (lab) buildings for scientific research. Sieuwerts was also part of cepezed's management team for many years. In 2015 he became a partner within the agency. He has been a member of the BNA Council of Members since the beginning of 2019.
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