The winning entry in the architectural competition, organised by the National Association of Norwegian Architects (NAL), for the design of the new Trondheim Station has been chosen. Arkitema Architects (AA) are to design the new station building, which will be constructed across the tracks in a central location in Trondheim. The building will be much more than a station servicing travelers, and the aim is to make it a meeting place for all residents in the third largest town of Norway.
Together with local architectural firm PKA, AA will further process the winning entry for the future station centre, working closely with the client, Bane NOR Eiendom.
A complex plan and design programme has been developed for the new Trondheim Station. The wish is to create a multi-modal transport hub that boosts the town’s identity and fosters attractive experiences for residents and visitors of Trondheim. All the while, the station centre must be a role model for climate-friendly urban development and green mobility.
The goal is to make the future station more than a starting point or end station for journeys, it aspires for a service experience that gathers a variety of offerings and modes of travel; the station will be a place full of experiences and must be a destination on its own. The building will also contain a large office building, acting as a workplace for hundreds of people.
The new terminal building will be an integrated part of the municipality’s solid and ambitious future plans for the entire area towards the port, and we lay out the physical settings for a sustainable building for public transit. Here, a range of services will be gathered and we’ve carefully developed a thorough plan to ensure smooth logistics for all passengers, whether they arrive by train or by bus, boat, car or bicycle.
T. Grave-Larsen, Business Area Manager, AA‘The wooden town of Trondheim’ is the town vision that inspired the design of the new Trondheim Station featuring a load-bearing wooden structure. Wood has a small carbon footprint while defining the building’s identity and securing aesthetic qualities. The building will be a distinct landmark, in terms of both architecture and climate policy, and by passing on Trondheim’s proud history of wooden buildings.
A key challenge to the future building process is that the centre must be built across the railway tracks, without affecting train services. Therefore, part of the design entails that building components spanning the tracks will be constructed in modules, which are quick to assemble. And the unique facades that provide solar screening for the entire building will also be prefabricated in modules, rendering installation far simpler. The jury’s report highlights the entry, which is called the Curve, as a project that has the potential to be built within a realistic financial framework.
AA’s entry stands out from the other entries and the client’s input by proposing an alternative orientation of the escalators to levels two and three. The jury explained how the orientation of the main steps across the axis of motion promotes a more generous arrival situation while enabling a better solution for the entire project: “This solution creates a central space in the station hall where ‘all paths converge’, including a clear connection to the bus terminal. The jury believed good-quality architecture, as well as good indoor and outdoor areas, add additional value while rendering a larger area available for rent, which in turn improves the project economy.”
AA spotted the possibility of making the street crossing a new, covered urban space that is open to the public, yet shielded from the elements, which leads to a more coherent station building and travel experience. The jury believed that both the station square and the step levels hold potential for creating great settings for travelers and Trondheim’s urban life, providing shelter from the town’s characteristic north wind while letting in sunlight and warmth from the south. This is also where cafes will offer food and drinks, which the jury appreciated: “Locating the café area towards the station square was an exemplary design solution.”
Initially, a project will be prepared to form the basis for decisions on the later phases of the project.
The capacity of the old station building, Trondheim S, is not big enough to handle ever-increasing traffic flow, and access to the platforms is not optimal. The winning entry provides excellent passenger management, great access conditions, and efficient service and business areas. The architectonic appearance effortlessly adapts to the surroundings along the channel, making the terminal a visible and independent structure. We are confident that this will be a great starting point for developing a well-functioning hub and getting more people to travel by public transit.
A. Hognestad, Project Director, Bane NOR EiendomThe building will also be BREEAM NOR-certified and the design was prepared with the UN sustainable development goals in mind.