Secondary Nodes within the Densifying Inner-city of Rotterdam

Abstract

The idea of mobility nodes has been migrated and developed over time. A lot of research has been focused on those (inter)national nodes of a train station, this article is focused on the ‘Secondary Nodes’. Those regional nodes, of multiple transportation flows, are situated in densifying metropolitan cities. In Rotterdam, the Node Beurs is situated in the inner-city and contains a junction of traffic flows of the metro, tram, bus, ferry, car, pedestrian and bike. Prospects indicate that the rising densification, leads to almost double amount of people using the metro at Beurs. At the moment Beurs is already an overloaded and fragmented node that forms a barrier within the urban tissue. While the Node Beurs has the potential to be a clear entrance to the inner-city and guide the traffic flows that cope with the capacity increase. The Node also has the potential to be part of the patchwork of public spaces, adding to the public floor-line of Rotterdam. Generating a multiple leveled open space and place to stay, with leisure, shops and other facilities. The project is establishing new urban connections, as well as strengthen the existing once by interweaving the hard infrastructure with the soft program and public space by making it pedestrian-oriented. The main goal of this architectural project is creating a new entrance that functions as a gateway to the inner-city, connecting the surrounded neighbourhoods, unravel the flows and directly connect the different types of transport. As well as it is an area that gives breathing space to the densifying city. The multiple leveled square function as a social place where people meet and are invited to explore the daylight perforated underground world. The recognizable entrances adding to the human scale and add to the local and regional character. As well as the pillars influence the local climate, by giving shelter for the rain and heat, function as a sounding board translating the weather to the underground area. The flexibility of the transport hub is key for future developments, as the underground is already quite full, there is still some room to extend the entrance or bike facility or add an extra metro line possibly. Interweaving, perforating and breaking the underground open, increase the accessibility and mobility of the secondary node Beurs and the inner-city itself.