Page 63 - Tussen binnenstad en spoor - Leuven 2003

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__ THE POSITIONING OF A BUILDING
A designer must always start from the specific
nature of the environment. The question always
remains how a building is embedded in the site;
how, at first glance, difficult preconditions are not
perceived as a hindrance, but constitute precisely
the enriching components of the project. Choices
must be made to nearly give an evidence to the
project while taking up the proposed building plot.
Whoever casts a superficial glance at the proposal
of Samyn and Partners will be inclined to label the
project as a purely architectonic solution that
takes little account of the town planning condi-
tions. Upon closer scrutiny of the project, how-
ever, it becomes apparent that Samyn did analyse
numerous decisive elements of the location care-
fully so as to position his building properly on this
narrow building strip. Unlike the proposal of a
project developer from 1995, Samyn respects the
basic configuration given in the proposal of the
Urban Project. He makes a variant of the
sequence of construction volumes, but not by
placing them freestanding. He wants to stress the
border between the tracks and the building plot
in no uncertain terms. It is a succession of eleven
identical bays, whereby very great transparency
will be achieved by introducing atria through the
office volumes. He has opted for a taut repetition,
which will confer a mastered neutrality on the
whole. The building is developed in a linear struc-
ture which positions itself rather reservedly with
respect to the tower structure of the Provincial
Government Building. The point of departure of
Marcel Smets to mark the end point of the new
construction with an important public building is
respected in the proposal. The KBC building does
not compete in height with the Provincial
Government Building.
The width of the plot was really determining in
terms of technical traffic-related solutions. To opti- as a means of transport. In Leuven people realise
mise the flow of traffic near the square in front of
the Provincial Government Building, it was
decided to connect the underground car park of
that building with the car park under the KBC
complex. So there are only cars coming out of the
car park at the Provincial Government Building
level. The entrance to the car park is located
closer to the station through a narrow lane par-
allel to the tunnel. The level difference was used
so that pedestrians crossing would not be incon-
venienced by cars driving into the car park.
Eliminating the conflict situation of incoming cars
and pedestrians without disturbing the topog-
raphy of the ground in a brutal manner, was an
important urban planning premise for Samyn. The
difference in level between the Provincial
Government Building and the station is dealt with
by providing an inclination of 8% on both sides,
with a horizontal area between them where trees
are planted. The area between the building and
the Tiensevest is a public park; planting tall trees choice has more than one advantage. The pertinent
provides continuity with the greenery along the
moats. It becomes a pleasant public esplanade
with greenery and benches for people to sit, a
connection between the Provincial Government
Building and the station without using stairs.
Along this sloping side, the station is provided
with an information centre.
The design also provides a solution for a very dif-
ficult element, i.e. integrating the existing signal the building.
cabin on the right side of the station. For tech-
nical reasons, the building cannot be demolished.
This signal cabin of no architectonic interest is
entirely covered by a single floor building, and at
the same time a direct connection is made on the
same level between the integrated pedestrian
bridge of the new platform covering and the
bicycle shelters under the building. This is
undoubtedly an improvement in comfort inside
this station area, certainly in foul weather.
The bicycle is of crucial importance in order to
maintain a historic city centre liveable. And in a
university town like Leuven, it is used extensively
that a station site is more than a transfer point, a
convergence of train and bus lines; it is a place
where thousands of bicycles must find temporary
refuge on a daily basis. In building the infrastruc-
ture under the Martelarenplein it was opted to
accommodate the car, while the problem of bike
storage was put in the backburner and shifted to
the location of the private investor. The city
council had asked for a parking facility to accom-
modate no fewer than 4,000 cyclists, which comes
down to an area of 6,000 m2. In the preliminary
design phase (May 2002), it was opted to create a
three-storey bicycle shelter situated as close as
possible to the station. The final solution went
much further than an architectonic approach;
namely, a town planning choice, where quality
and safety factors were decisive elements.
Samyn and the client opted for a bicycle shelter on
one level along the entire length of the project. This
question as to which floor people left their bike on
is no longer necessary; the ever-recurring orienta-
tion problems in underground parking facilities
does not count for much here among cyclists. A
second, and even more important advantage is that
the space for bicycles has daylight, and that the
frightening feeling of dark basements is avoided.
The various exits for cyclists on to the esplanade
spread out the movements over the entire length of
There are two stories under the bicycle shelter
that house technical rooms and a car park for 690
cars. The upper parking level (–2) has natural light
on the west side (Tiensevest), the lower level (–3)
on both sides. Designing parking facilities with
natural light is an advantage not only for energy-
saving reasons, but also because it gives the user
a greater sense of security. Natural ventilation can
be used for the bicycle shelter and the car park,
which is another energy-saving factor. Just as
Solà-Morales designed the car park under the
Martelarenplein with the greatest care, so Samyn
opted for parking facilities with a qualitative spa-
tial experience where a claustrophobic, unsafe
feeling is avoided.