Station Square
Eindhoven

The new station square manifests itself as a generous carpet that extends from facade to facade. Former obstructive routes are now part of the shared space. The square now provides more room for cyclists. A parking space for 4500 bikes is provided under the station square, accessible via a large cycling roundabout that gently circles down. The statue of Anthon Philips has a prominent place in the middle of the square.

The square is designed in a large grid pattern, emphasising the different walking directions. Various trees placed on the grid anchor sightlines towards the city centre and provide a pleasant year-round microclimate. The square, which on average is 3° Celsius warmer than the rest of Eindhoven becomes more resistant to heat. Large planting areas include plants that absorb fine particulates and provide fragrance or light. Here, Eindhoven’s technology and design come together in a next nature living lab. A ‘square jockey’ monitors the behaviour of pedestrians and cyclists and manages the dynamic lighting depending on the time or event.

The Gender river, which once ran through this site, is returned, not as a canal but as a chain of water elements: a water playground, a waterfall in the cycling roundabout, and a brook cutting through the square. Providing an integral system of buffers solves major water problems affecting the city. Via a sophisticated water management system, the square is cooled.

The station square runs seamlessly over the new District E-complex. Open and transparent ground-floor spaces with a wide range of public programmes ensure maximum vitality at ground level in the form of debates, exhibitions, concept stores, and maker spaces. Consisting of three sloping towers, the complex’s layered terraces form a natural setting with the rest of the new station square.