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Department of Land Management of Flemish Brabant), Mr. Jef Deneut (engineer
- director of the technical department of the city of Leuven) and Mr. Willy Vreebos
(head engineer, NMBS).
Secretary:
Mr. Frank Thyssen (engineer, NMBS).
Program
Article 21 of the competition’s description addresses the specific concept. The
platform covering is to respect the different aspects of the station building within
the comprehensive project of the station district: the monumental emotional value
of the building, the station as a link to existing traffic flows, as well as to the form
and functions of the buildings which are to be built in the future.
The main objective for constructing a platform covering is mainly aimed at
increasing the level of comfort for travelers, while creating a symbolic link between
the two existing city halves (specifically the inner city of Leuven and the suburb
of Kessel-Lo), as well as connecting the different elements of the station project
together.
Article 22 lists the prime criteria pertaining to the platform covering: dimensioning,
protection against weather conditions, safety aspects, aspects of stability, acoustic
s, ventilation, overhead wiring, daylight entry and lighting, maintenance, and
possibilities of connection with the other buildings and grounds. The specifications
for the pedestrian bridge, the elevators, and the platform furnishings are listed
next, together with the time frame and assembly details, the building sites, the
logistical access and the cost price.
Jury criteria
The selection made by the members of the jury was based on three criteria.
In the first place the architectural merits were examined. These comprised
functionality, experience and formal qualities, environmental value, and the
potential future value of the design. The remaining two criteria considered the
relation cost to quality of the design and the construction methods. The following
three teams were consistently chosen from the six originally selected ones: Philippe
Samyn and Partners, Calatrava Valls and Tijdelijke Vereniging De Smet-Vermeulen
architecten /S.W.K. Each team expressed unique qualities (urbanistic, functional,
ecological…), but was individually orientated towards three totally separate styles
of architecture.
The jury selected the design by Philippe Samyn and Partners from the six
proposals.3
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