Track canopy is the eye-catcher of Ede-Wageningen Station

Ede-Wageningen Station is undergoing a major metamorphosis, adding an extra platform, widening existing platforms and expanding and modernizing waiting areas. The main eye-catcher of EdesPoort is the wooden track canopy, which consists of 23 pinewood triangles no less than 27 meters long and 2 meters high. In these large triangles, smaller triangles are made, with triangular roof lights included at random positions. Kingspan Light + Air's 251 rooflights allow daylight to flow far across the platform and station square, into the station building and into the bicycle/pedestrian tunnel, and meet strict fire/escape safety requirements. In addition, Kingspan Light + Air was responsible for the glazing of the clock tower.

EdesPoort (Ede-Wageningen station) is a project of Spoorzone Ede (a collaboration of the Municipality of Ede, NS Stations and ProRail) and is being carried out by the EdesPoort contractor combination, consisting of VolkerWessels Infrastructure (Van Hattum en Blankevoort and VolkerRail) and Van Wijnen Arnhem. Kingspan Light + Air was involved in the project back in 2015 by architecture firm Mecanoo to help think about the technical and aesthetic elaboration of the railroad canopy with roof lights. "In the years that followed, the project was developed further and further," says John Jaspers, Sales & Project Manager at Kingspan Light + Air. "This also involved various consultants, such as Movares consultants & engineers and Royal HaskoningDHV. Together, a Program of Requirements was drawn up, as part of the tender guide." The tender was won by EdesPoort and Van Wijnen Arnhem, who awarded the supply of the roof lights and tower glazing to Kingspan Light + Air.

Experience in rail projects

According to Jaspers, Kingspan Light + Air's experience in large railroad projects was particularly convincing for Van Wijnen Arnhem. "In the past, for example, we have also collaborated on the glass structures of the HSE Erasmus Line in The Hague, Station Noord in Amsterdam and Central Station in Eindhoven. But also on metro station Noorderpark in Amsterdam, which is characterized by its impressive and aesthetic shape (also called the Cobra). In addition, we have extensive experience with fire-hanging/fire-resistant glazing."

60 minutes fire suspended

"Because trains could catch fire under the track canopy, specific fire and escape safety requirements were imposed," Jaspers says. "The glazing in the roof lights is 60 minutes fire rated. This means that the glazing can withstand a flue gas temperature of 250°C for 60 minutes without coming loose and falling down. This allows travelers to escape safely in the event of a fire." 

Light slope

The glass roofs are at a slight 2° pitch, he says. "The glass construction is done in our BA-4S system with aluminum rods and moldings. We offer a 25-year warranty on the preservation of this aluminum. In EdesPoort, we opted for a powder coating that is structured in such a way that no maintenance is necessary in the next 10 years." The glazing is finished all around with silicone wheaterseal joints. This made it possible to work with clamping discs instead of clamping frames, eliminating obstructions and preventing water from standing on the rooflights. "The top of the roof lights is completely flat."

The roof lights have a leg length of 4.5 meters and - following the example of the platform and station building - are also used in the architectural canopies above the bicycle/pedestrian tunnel and the station square. For the bell tower, Kingspan Light + Air realized the glazing around the bells. Because thermal insulation does not play a role here, single glazing was chosen.

Safe, fast and efficient (pre-)assembly

"Working on the track is always exciting," Jaspers emphasizes. "After all, the most radical assembly work has to be carried out exactly within the train-free periods, which requires strict planning and coordination." For Kingspan Light + Air, the risk in this area was limited, as the rooflights were installed and assembled in the large pinewood triangles at a pre-assembly site on Akulaan. This added to the safety, speed and efficiency of the project. "Following the roof lights, the ceilings, roofing and lighting were also pre-assembled. The large triangles were temporarily stacked on top of each other to create enough free working space. Then they were transported to the project just-in-time and as complete modules and lifted in with huge cranes." The steel structure for the tower was also glazed at ground level and lifted in as one complete module.