Køge Nord Station Story by DISSING+WEITLING architecture Køge Nord Station Køge Nord Station - Greater Copenhagen's new public transport landmark has opened Story by Cobe Køge Nord Station - Greater Copenhagen's new public transport landmark has opened

Køge Nord Station - Greater Copenhagen's new public transport landmark has opened

Cobe as Architects

In early summer, the new traffic hub Køge Nord Station was officially opened. A spectacular footbridge, a station and a park area that form a significant hub for green mobility as well as a unique example of Danish architecture and engineering. Køge Nord Station was designed by an architectural team consisting of COBE and DISSING+WEITLING architecture.


Køge Nord Station was officially opened by Crown Prince Frederik at an event on May 31, 2019. The event marked the opening of the new gateway to Copenhagen, which provides access to more efficient and sustainable transport for everyone going to and from the nation’s capital.


And that is not all: For Køge and the rest of the region the new project adds a landmark of international dimensions: the 225-meter-long footbridge that connects the new double-track high-speed rail line between Copenhagen and the city of Ringsted with the existing commuter urban-suburban S-train line above the Køge Bugt Highway.


The striking futuristic design is apt for an area that is currently undergoing tremendous transformation, and the bridge is going to act as a catalyst for growth and development in the Køge area in coming years, says Dan Stubbergaard, architect and the founder of COBE:


”Together, we have designed a landmark for the development that the city of Køge is currently undergoing. A development driven by innovation, pioneering spirit and a bold outlook that is embodied by the station bridge and the related facilities. The bridge is also a new architectural attraction for the area; a long, spectacular steel snake sinuously extending above the railway lines and offering the users a magnificent panoramic view of the cultural landscape. Moreover, Køge Nord Station is an important pillar and catalyst in the larger vision plan for Køge and the larger region, which places a high priority on attracting qualified labor and creating optimal, green and sustainable transport options in the area. It is our hope, and our firm conviction, that Køge Nord Station will contribute to this future vision.”


The station architecture and technical design promote ’the good travel experience’, where the flow inside the covered bridge is designed to offer both an open view to the north and smaller apertures in the interior wood panels toward the south. That offers views of the outside and an intimate feel as well as a good flow and zones for pausing:


”People spend many hours of their life in transit. That’s why we sought to give the footbridge a quality that goes beyond the purely functional and practical: The interior space is covered with wooden slats that provide a warm, tactile experience in transit and waiting situations. It is, quite simply, a welcoming and inviting space, unlike what you often see in stations and transport facilities. The interior space is contrasted by the smooth, cool aluminum exterior that enters into a dialogue with the infrastructural expression of the place. Banedanmark took a bold and visionary approach, both when they announced the competition and when they picked the winning proposal. As a result, we can now enjoy an architectural beacon capable of branding the region and demonstrating the capability of Danish architects and engineers. The bridge has ”postcard potential”, but the main point is the effect and the influence the project will have on so many people’s everyday life”, says Jesper B. Henriksen, architect and partner at DISSING+WEITLING architecture.

Køge Nord Station

DISSING+WEITLING architecture as Architects

Greater Copenhagen’s new landmark for green mobility opens
The inauguration of a new transportation hotspot Køge Nord Station is taking place today, introducing a spectacular pedestrian bridge, a station and parking facilities to the public. Køge Nord Station is not only a significant crossing for sustainable mobility but also a unique example of Danish architecture and engineering – created by COBE and Dissing+Weitling with COWI as the leading consultant.

 

An international architecture competition for Køge Nord Station was issued in 2014. Five years later, the project has reached its climax; the new public transportation gate to Copenhagen has become a reality, bringing crowds effectively to and from the Danish Capital. Køge Municipality and the rest of the region now have a landmark of international dimensions: a futuristic 225 meters long pedestrian bridge and station running above highspeed train tracks and an eight-lane motorway.

 

The station’s architecture and technical design both cater for the good travel experience where people passing the pedestrian bridge can enjoy an open view to the North yet having a calming wooden construction to the South for intimacy. The bridge has dedicated zones for both movement and for sojourn.

 

“People use a large part of their lives on transportation. Our goal has been to give the bridge a quality beyond just functional and practical: warm and friendly surroundings for both transit and waiting. We simply wanted to create an inviting space for the people using the station – not just a standard transportation facility. The warm interior balances well with the cool and smooth exterior of steel and aluminium, giving the bridge its futuristic infrastructural feel.” says Architect and Partner at Dissing+Weitling, Jesper B. Henriksen.

 

Dan Stubbergaard, Architect and Founder of COBE states: “Together we have created this landmark to support the development of Køge region that is happening right now. Development of innovation, pioneering spirit and guts, that has materialised in new kind of station in the form of a bridge and an architectural attraction. Køge Nord Station will be a remarkable catalyst for the region’s plan to attract a talented workforce through effective and sustainable transportation infrastructure. We believe that Køge Nord Station can contribute to this vision.”

 

Jens Sandager Jensen, Senior Vice President for Bridges Scandinavia at COWI concludes: “Køge Nord Station is a complex bridge construction raised above challenging building conditions over railroads and highway. To lift and install the segments for a 225 meters long and 9 meters wide steel bridge while minimising disturbance of the traffic required thorough premeditation of solutions, safety and timing. As consulting engineers, it will be a great pleasure to witness the many passengers use the station in their daily lives. And enjoying the result of combining advanced technology with innovation.

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