For Karres en Brands, the redevelopment of the station area and the Rûnwei (ring road) is a great opportunity to strengthen the identity of the village andthe diversion of the ring road allows us to upgrade Feanwâlden station into a transport hub. The design assignment therefore is aimed at realizing a coherent area that matches the local identity.
Feanwâlden had a busy road running through the village. With the construction of the central axis (between Damwoude and Garyp), traffic no longer runs through the village and the new space created between the station and the village required a new interpretation with a high spatial quality. At the same time this provided a chance to reinvent the role of the station in a shrinking village. A topic that is common to many provincial regions. How can this become more than just a space to pass by on your way to a bigger city in the surroundings. How can small stations become the heart of rural communities where public space, transit and local initiatives come together to form a new community centre for the village. Here we have proposed a new infill development with a high spatial quality. No matter how the visitor enters Feanwâlden, by bus, train or car, the new park is the first thing you see of the village, and is therefore image-defining.
Together with the client, Karres en Brands approached the design more as a collective process rather than an aesthetic excercise. It was crucial that the new park would breathe identity into the village but at the same time that it would be embraced and cared for by the local community. The existing station building, which had been abandoned and closed for many years, was transformed into an on-site design studio where we would spend entire days working on the project and engaging with the local community. Together we defined the character of the park but also went so far as to search for and stimulate local initiatives as suitable programming for the station building. The atmosphere and character of the park are in line with the identity of the village. The designers see this identity as ‘wolkom’ (welcome in Frisian-Dutch dialect), a friendly and stylish village. The station building was given a new life as a local lunch room, that can also be used as a community centre for special gatherings.
The project contains no large-scale urban architecture or street profiles, but acts as a subtle reinforcement of the friendly and soft quality. The park may be contemporary, but it reflects the village characterand the plan is inspired by the recognizable park designs of Vlaskamp aswe have interpreted the spatial and functional principles of Vlaskamp and translated them into a contemporary park. The strength of a design by Vlaskamp lies in the subtle, and at the same time powerful design approach. Elements such as height levels, water, sightlines, but also special objects and plants form the basis for the new park design. The height difference is a playful way to create spatial separation and accentuate sightlines. Water is central to the park and bridges or stepping stones mark special places in the park.
The design for the park is based on strengthening the two characteristics of Feanwâlden: the location of the village on the higher grounds with its large trees and Stinsenflora (spring bulbs), and the adjacent wetland meadows with Alders and Willows. This is reflected in the design for the park where the higher parts border the village adjacent to large open spaces with groups of trees. The lower part is located along the railway zone and consists of a pond and wadis that collect rainwater from the area and drain it if necessary. The wadis are also a place for children to play and experience nature.
The construction of the Feanwâlden Transferium park started in 2020. The transport hub with its bus station, parking lots and main structures have now been constructedwith the park having been realized in 2021.
Architecture offices involved in the design: Witteveen+Bos
Location: Stationsweg 2 9269 PG, Feanwâlden, The Netherlands
Design year: 2016-2018
Year Completed: 2021
