Bus station, Switzerland
22 juni 2022
Project: Bus station, Bellinzona | Switzerland
Architect: Orsi & Associati, Bellinzona | Switzerland
Fabricator: Werkstätte Liechtblick, Schaffhausen | Switzerland
Installer: Kesmon Meccanica SA, Lugano | Switzerland
Façade System: Tray Panels Special Design
Year of Construction: 2019
Product: ALUCOBOND® PLUS naturAL Pure + Reflect
Photos: Peter Schäublin – 720 Grad GmbH
ATTRACTIVE ALPINE CROSSING
Europeans have been flocking to the Riviera, Rome, Genoa, Cinque Terre or Lake Maggiore for almost 150 years. Crossing Switzerland by rail or by road over mountain passes such as the San Bernardino or through tunnels like the Saint Gotthard, is an integral part of this mythical journey. Once the highest peaks are left behind, you reach Ticino or, to be more precise, you almost always land in Bellinzona. This is because the roads leading south converge here, it also where the south begins. But despite all the romance of travel, logistics and transport sectors now require safer, more reliable and faster routes and transport hubs. So, when the Gotthard Tunnel was modernised and opened up to high-speed trains, Bellinzona railway station was also due an update and refurbishment. The city took this opportunity to rebuild its bus station at the same time in order to provide better connections between the city centre, the station and the surrounding region. Only links following a north-south axis seem possible in Bellinzona, both in historical and geographical terms. Located on the slopes of the densely populated old town centre, the bus station is squeezed onto a very narrow plot of land at the foot of the approximately four-metre-high railway embankment. Not exactly ideal conditions for an inviting transit area which conveys an impression of safety. However, local architects Orsi & Associati came up with a solution. Their design comprises very tall, slender steel columns supporting a subdivided roof, arranged in step-like terraces and clad in ALUCOBOND® naturAL Pure and Reflect tray panels on its underside. Both zones are sheltered by the structure: the lower section covers the bus platforms; the upper one the railway platforms. The covered space looks really airy and spacious because of the tiered roof’s soaring height, and the effect is intensified by reflective ALUCOBOND® on the interior surfaces. Despite the roof’s substantial span and height, it still looks delicate, reflecting light, movement and, in some cases, historic buildings in its vicinity. The former no-man’s land beside the railway embankment has been revitalized to become a welcoming environment. The staggered height of the roof is not only in order to provide light and offer protection from the elements; it acts as a subtle guide towards the station entrance and forecourt. The old station retains its historic façade, and yet the additional elements, such as seating areas, stairways and the terraced roof structure, make it clear that this old station is now ready for the transit of tomorrow.