You are on page 1of 11

Architects: Benthem Crouwel Architects, MVSA Architects, West 8

Location: Stationsplein 1, 3013 AJ Rotterdam, Netherlands

Lead Architects: Jan Benthem, Marcel Blom, Adriaan Geuze, Jeroen van
Schooten

Area: 46000.0 sqm

Project Year: 2014

Photographs: Jannes Linders, Luke Harley, Rijksoverheid, Team CS,


Gemeenten Rotterdam

Structural Engineer: Arcadis and Gemeentewerken Rotterdam

Mechanical Services: Arcadis and Gemeentewerken Rotterdam

Building Physics: Arcadis and Gemeentewerken Rotterdam

Contractor: Bouwcombinatie TBI Rotterdam Centraal (BTRC) Iemants


NV (zuidhal)

Bookmark this picture!

Jannes
Linders
From the architect. Rotterdam Centraal Station is one of the most important transport hubs in
The Netherlands. With 110,000 passengers a day the public transport terminal has as many
travelers as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. In addition to the European network of the High Speed
Train (HST), Rotterdam Centraal is also connected to the light rail system, RandstadRail. With

the advent of both the HST and RandstadRail the number of daily travelers
at Rotterdam Centraal is expected to increase to approximately 323,000 by 2025.

Bookmark this picture!

Jannes
Linders
Rotterdam HST is the first stop in the Netherlands when travelling from the south and is
strategically positioned in the middle of Europe, with Schiphol only twenty minutes and Paris a
mere two and a half hours away. Hence the new station is not only larger, brighter and more
orderly than the former, but also has an international feel; it beautifully complements both the
efficiency of the Hispeed stop and the Rotterdam citys bold ambitions for urban development
and renewal. The station matches in all respects the practicality, capacity, comfort and allure, of
the central stations of Madrid, Paris, London and Brussels.

Bookmark this picture!

Jannes
Linders
Integration in Urban Environment

One of the fundamental challenges of Rotterdam Centraal station was the difference in the
urban character of the north and south side of the station. The entrance on the north side has a
modest design, appropriate to the character of the neighborhood Provenierswijk and the smaller
number of passengers. The entrance gradually connects to the city. In the Provenierswijk the
character of the 19th-century Dutch provincial town is strengthened. Large architectural
extensions are avoided on this side of the station, the presence of green is ameliorated and the
station is transparent.

Bookmark this picture!


Rijksoverheid
In contrast, the grand entrance on the city side is clearly the gateway to the high-rise urban
center. Here the station derives its new international, metropolitan identity from the hall made of
glass and wood. The roof of the hall, fully clad with stainless steel, gives rise to buildings iconic
character and points to the heart of the city.

Bookmark this picture!

Luke
Harley
Now Rotterdam Centraal has the appropriate structure and dimensions for the urban landscape;
it is in balance with the heights that characterize the metropolis and simultaneously reflects the

human scale. The city of Rotterdam is drawn to the new station via the compaction of the smallscale urban texture surrounding the public transport terminal. The entire railway zone becomes
one with the city. This finer urban texture with new sightlines and a mixture of living and working
will dramatically improve the quality of life and the environment of the station area.

Bookmark this picture!

Floor Plan
The esplanade in front of the station is a continuous public space. To achieve this simplicity a
parking garage for 750 cars and a bicycle shed for 5,200 bicycles are located under the square.
The tram station is moved to the east side of the station, so the platforms broaden the square.
Bus, tram, taxi and the area for short-term parking are integrated into the existing urban fabric
and do not constitute barriers. The red stone of the station floor continues into the forecourt,
merging the station with the city. Pedestrian and cycling routes are pleasant and safe and arriving
travelers now have dignified entrance to the city, free from traffic.

Bookmark this picture!

Jannes
Linders
Interior and Appearance

Incorporation of natural light, the warmth of the suns rays and a modern look are important
elements in the design. The platform roof on the Proveniersside is transparent. When the train
drives into the station, there is an almost tangible feeling of being enshrouded in the station
building. Upon entering in the bright high hall through the center side, the traveler gets an
overview of the entire complex and a view to the trains that are waiting invitingly along the
platforms.

Bookmark this picture!

Jannes
Linders
The wood finish on the inside of the hall, combined with the structural wooden beams of the
platform roof creates a warm and welcoming ambience, inviting visitors to linger. The largely
transparent roof structure which covers all the tracks over a length of 250 meters, flood the
platforms with light. The glass plates of the roof vary the level of light transmittance by utilizing
different solar cells patterns, which produce an ever-changing and fascinating play of shadows on
the platforms.

Bookmark this picture!

Jannes
Linders
Routing and Layout

The routing through the station is logical; travelers are guided by a direct view of the trains and by
the daylight that penetrates to the travelers passage via the voids that extend through the
transparent roof platform and down to the stairs. Because of its transparency the widened
travelers passage, lined with commercial functions, forms a natural part of the station.
Escalators, lifts and stairs lead up to the new platforms, which feature inviting and comfortable
platform furniture. On the west side of the station there is a footbridge over the tracks for travelers
in transit. This footbridge also functions as an escape route in the event of an emergency.

Bookmark this picture!


Rijksoverheid
The passenger terminal is a national and international hub that connects train, tram, bus and
subway. The public transport terminal is designed for passenger comfort, which is visible in the
different zones of the station. It includes commercial spaces, a lounge, restaurants, offices,
parking for cars and bicycles. In the spacious concourse the passenger service functions are
conveniently arranged. There is travel information, an information point, the Dutch Railways (NS)
travelers shop, ticket vending machines and commercial functions. The grand cafe and the NSlounge offer spectacular views across the hall and the adjacent tracks. Waiting areas in the hall
and the passage are linked to the passenger flows, with areas both for browsing and quick
shopping.

Bookmark this picture!

Render
The new Rotterdam Centraal Station is a pleasant, open and transparent public transport
terminal which functions as an iconic meeting point. Interwoven into the urban network, the
station connects the diverse characters of the city and marks the beginning of Rotterdams
cultural axis. This modern and efficient building offers travelers to and from the port city all the
amenities and comfort they could want or need in the present and the future.

Bookmark this picture!

Jannes
Linders
Sustainability

Windows with 130,000 solar cells cover 10,000 m2 of the total roof area of 28,000 m2. This is the
largest application of solar energy in a station roof in The Netherlands and is also one of the

largest rooftop solar projects in Europe. The solar cells are placed on the parts of the roof that
get the most sun, taking into account the high buildings around RotterdamCentraal. The glass
panels vary in light transmittance by using different patterns in the solar cells. Where the roof has
the greatest efficiency in terms of sunlight, the cell density is the highest. The solar cells that are
integrated in the roof have a high degree of transparency, so there is ample light. The solar cells
represent an 8% reduction in the stations CO2 emissions. The cells are expected to generate
320 megawatt per annum, which is enough energy for 100 households.

Bookmark this picture!

You might also like