Building a new station of the Randstadrail in a neighbourhood offers the opportunity to improve and vitalize public spaces. This is an additional feature of ZJA’s design. First of all, the tube construction containing the train is not located in between the cars, but hovers above the sidewalk. The characteristically shaped tube is positioned close to the buildings. Public transport should belong to the users, the pedestrians, who are also the visitors of the buildings.
The height of the elevated light rail creates square-like public spaces in the vicinity of the station, with enough room for green patches with trees and shrubbery. The station has an asymmetrical lay out, placing the platforms diagonally opposite to each other, all intended to provide more sightlines and an open architecture. The rails inside the tube rest on a separate concrete foundation, absorbing most of the sound and shock waves.
With this striking design, inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s Bucky Tube and the L-train in downtown Chicago, the Beatrixkwartier has gained an iconic landmark. For residents and visitors of The Hague it is a recognizable and attractive structure, open to all.