Ten designers and design studios were chosen to participate in this What if Lab, in which clients and creatives together develop ingenious answers to complex issues. Because ProRail, NS Stations, and Bureau Spoorbouwmeester found the proposals so appealing, they decided to continue working with four rather than three designers, bucking the trend in these uncertain times of Corona. The first concrete results will be revealed during Dutch Design Week (DDW) from 17-25 October 2020.
With rows of trees, hills, and fields of flowers and herbs, Welling Architects emphasised recreation and the efficient routing of travellers. In their Natural Station design, they replace traditional concrete, glass, and steel with soft materials such as grass, sandy paths, and loam. In Welling’s design, the station is no longer constructed, but laid out like a park. Similarly, Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven does not use materials that are difficult to recycle, such as concrete, but opts for natural alternatives, such as traditional Dutch mussel granules to create seating objects and planter rims. Scape Agency grinds concrete railway sleepers to be reused in a new material on which to grow algae and mosses that generate CO2. And, in their proposal, Bygg Architecture & Design involve local residents and railway users in the circular transition of their environment in a temporary Field Lab at the stations.
These imaginative designs for public spaces offer solutions for the future: a circular economy in 2050. The railways and stations in the Netherlands play an important role in this. ProRail, NS Stations, and Bureau Spoorbouwmeester are striving for 100% waste-free construction by using as few (polluting) materials and as many bio-based raw materials as possible.
It was in this spirit that they connected with designers within What if Lab. The concrete results show that they are able to look beyond today and tomorrow with their creative thinking, inventiveness, drive to experiment, and innovative ideas. Designers can make organisations think differently and make a valuable contribution to the necessary transition required by contemporary and future society.
The ‘Natural Station’ is Leonie Welling of Welling Architects and Studio Tjeerd Veenhoven (STV)’s answer to the question ‘What if… we were to design all 350 small stations in the Netherlands to be circular?’. Welling designed from a landscape and architectural point of view, STV from the development of sustainable alternatives. Welling devised natural landscape elements that offer space for recreation and a pleasant stay, as well as an efficient routing of travellers through the station. Rows of trees, small hills, and vegetation such as grasses, fields of flowers, and herbs promote these two basic principles.
Veenhoven has a great deal of knowledge when it comes to upgrading organic residual flows for applications in the building sector, such as in biopolymers, cellulose, starch, and mycelium. STV examined concrete borders, paving stones, glass, and galvanised steel, products which, although highly resistant, have high CO2 emissions during production and are difficult to recycle. He replaced the concrete for the seating and planter rims with traditional Dutch mussel granules. Available materials from the station and railway environment, such as cattails, reeds, local types of wood, and loam were also used in the design that contributes to a healthy living environment and biodiversity.
Spatial innovation collective Scape Agency also believes that a station should contribute to a healthy living environment. Too many materials with a high ecological impact are still being used, such as concrete, steel, and glass, the designers believe. They saw enormous potential in depreciated concrete railway sleepers that are rarely recycled on a large scale. Could they transform those grey elements in the landscape into a lively green modular network? The answer is yes. A special recycled cement mix of the sleepers encourages the growth of micro-organisms such as algae and mosses. The elements also act as efficient absorbers of carbon dioxide that generate oxygen and have acoustic qualities. It is a green solution for, for example, retaining walls and noise barriers along the track.
Bygg Architecture & Design strongly believe in the connecting power of collaboration between individuals and organisations, the interaction between designers, travellers, and local residents. The collective, consisting of young professionals with a background in architecture, urbanism, and social and spatial design, introduce the Circular Expedition in which they look for the quality and circular opportunities of small stations. They are bringing the Field Lab to the station. Here, the Circular Design Ambassador’s task is to create a stronger local network around the station by involving, informing, and encouraging visitors and travellers to participate in the improvement of the station environment and the circular transition.
