With the opening of the Passerelle in 2025, the city of Zwolle gains not just a new
bridge, but a new urban backbone. Where the railway once divided the historic
city centre from the southern neighbourhoods, a natural, pleasant connection now
brings the city together again.
The Passerelle results from an intensive design process to develop an integrated
vision for the railway zone. The focus extended beyond infrastructure to the city
itself: restoring urban continuity, strengthening pedestrian and cycling routes, and
adding public spaces around the station. Within the station square diverse interventions — including a bicycle basement, bus bridge, and the redevelopment of
the Stationsquare and several other public spaces — are unified in a single spatial
framework. The railway zone is thus transformed from a peripheral area into a new
urban centre.

The railway zone functions as an “intermediate landscape” where mobility, urban
development and landscape converge. The station area’s redevelopment drives
broader transformation, with ambitions in urbanisation, mobility, climate adaptation
and energy transition. The Passerelle plays a key role by extending the station
street over the tracks, creating a clear link between old and new Zwolle. This
improves accessibility and strengthens social cohesion by connecting southern
neighbourhoods with amenities, employment and urban life.

Rather than a purely technical solution, the Passerelle is designed as an elevated
urban space. The concept of the “raised street” forms its core: not a direct A–B
route, but a sequence of spaces encouraging movement and pause. Its S-shape
slows the crossing and gradually reveals views over the city and railway. Midway,
the bridge widens into a gathering space; on the south side, it becomes a green
viewing platform linked to the station park.

The Passerelle acts as a catalyst in the sustainable development of the station area,
integrating biodiversity, climate adaptation, mobility, inclusivity and circularity. This
approach is reflected in both design and construction. The bridge uses laminated
girders of European softwood supported by black steel portals, creating a clear
structure. At 130 metres, it is the longest pedestrian bridge in Europe made of European
softwood. It stores around 1,300 tonnes of CO2 and reduces emissions by 74% compared to a steel alternative, demonstrating bio-based construction at infrastructural scale. Wood and steel reference the railway’s industrial context while
forming a contemporary aesthetic.

What distinguishes the Passerelle is the integration of ecology and use, where vegetation, water and soil are integral. A visible water system supports plant life and
biodiversity, while timber adds warmth and tactility. Users not only move across the
bridge but experience seasonal change. Designed as an inclusive public space, it
offers guidance, seating and clear routing to ensure accessibility and social safety.
The Passerelle shows how infrastructure can become an urban catalyst. By linking
mobility, spatial quality and ecology, it introduces a typology in which infrastructure
connects rather than divides, marking the start of a long-term transformation
and inviting people to experience the city anew.