Delft City Hall and Train Station / Mecanoo Architects

Mecanoo Architects, a Dutch firm, recently designed a city hall and train station for the city of Delft.  The new station design intends to weave the past of the city with its future in the expanding urban environment.

Further information about the project after the break.

The existing railway runs through the center of Delft, cutting the city into two pieces. Mecanoo’s plan envisions the new railway tunnel as something that can unite the city, rather than separate. The design includes an expansion of the inner city through a large park and a promenade which will link both sides.

The newly designed station will allow travelers to experience Delft as a city not only with a rich history but also one of technological ingenuity.  The vaulted ceilings, with scenes depicted in delft blue, create an organic blanket that covers the station and the city hall. These ceilings can be seen anywhere in the building and highlight the craft history of the city in a contemporary manner.

In addition to a new train station, Mecanoo’s project also features spaces for over a thousand municipal employees’ offices that will be built above grade. A restaurant, conference rooms and rooms for the Mayor and the Alderman will also be incorporated.

The glass skin, which clads the building, reflects the Dutch skies and makes the space seem open and accessible.  A clear distinction between public and private spaces in the building is emphasized by the strong horizontal division.  A digital news ticker wraps around the façade displaying information about public transportation, activities and urban news. The building is also designed for maximum energy efficiency, as it uses 35% less energy than government standards.

The building features a more urban front to the Westvest and a smaller scaled fronting to the Westerkwartier, setting back the building footprint by six metres. At the corners, the building volumes are lowered to carefully transition with existing buildings. Construction is slated to begin in 2010 and expected to be completed by 2014.

As seen on designboom.