The main concept for the new Roskilde Station Area is to reunite the city and reinvent the station as an integral part of the city centre, by transforming leftover land areas along the railroad into a vibrant urban district and infrastructural hub in Roskilde.
The design reconnects the two parts of Roskilde divided by the railroad lines; The historic UNESCO world heritage center in the North including the Roskilde Cathedral and the more recent areas in the South dominated by industrial developments and contemporary culture such as the Roskilde Festival.
The new Roskilde Station Area will transform the station from a former barrier in the city to a unifying hub – merging urban life with infrastructure and creating a coherent urban experience in Roskilde, inspired by and in respect to both the rich cultural heritage and the cutting edge contemporary culture that Roskilde is known for
One of the key elements of the design is the integration of the station into the surrounding city. This is achieved by transforming the railway station into a large urban space that will become a new destination in the city with vibrant city life, shops and public spaces right on platform.
As an alternative to a traditional bridge or tunnel as the infrastructural link across the railway, the design team propose an open green urban space with the railroad tracks hovering above. The passage will serve as the main connection between the two parts of the city and will be lined with shops, cafés and service functions as well as informal areas for social interaction and recreation. This solution also leads to a more intuitive navigation throughout the station and provide a great vantage point of the city while solving the logistics of the 30.000 daily passengers more seamless and efficient.
FACTS:
Name: Roskilde Station Area
Place: Roskilde, Denmark
Client: Roskilde Municipality
Design and masterplan: EFFEKT and karres+brands
Engineering: WTM Engineers, ALECTIA and ARUP
Program: Masterplan including new pedestrian connection, housing, offices, retail, department store and hotel
Size: 100.000 m2
Status: 1st prize in competition 2016, under realization