Bus station, Tilburg | A large, modern canopy with integrated rainwater drainage

Bus passengers at Tilburg Station have been a lot more comfortable since March of this year. An impressive canopy with translucent panels keeps them dry. The light above the panels makes the station clear and makes them feel safe. 

"We calculated, drew, produced and assembled the steel structure," says Arthur Heesen, project manager of Buiting Staalbouw. "This also included the structure for the administration building, which is located in the loop of the canopy. We made an important contribution to fine-tuning the design."

Integrated gutter construction

The roof structure was constructed with 48 columns and 23 trusses with lengths of up to 17 m¹. An integrated gutter construction along the length of the building - a total of 165 m - takes care of the drainage of rainwater. The HWA's stainless steel down pipes are integrated into the columns and aesthetically concealed. "That was quite a challenge," says Heesen. "The narrow columns had to be galvanized to drain the rainwater through the columns. But the insides of the columns were inaccessible for welding joints. In consultation with the client, airtight welding combined with a high-quality wet-paint system was chosen."

Translucent cloths

To provide the framework with cloths, Buiting Staalbouw worked closely with Buitink. The cloths had to be strong and translucent. Heesen: "Here the challenge was in the fastener connections between the cloths and the steel. The proposed detail for the attachment was so complex that we looked for an innovative solution. This resulted in a tight clamping construction with long bolts and tensioning profiles to which the cloths are connected." Additional comfort is provided by the light above the milky white canvases, which is equipped with sensors integrated into the steel structure. Once a traveler steps into the station, the light above the canvases above turns on and then "walks" with the traveler to their destination.