Station in Delft: Intertwining Past and Future

Arriving in Delft should be an unforgettable experience. The station, in combination with municipal offices and the new city hall, sits atop a new train tunnel built in place of the old concrete viaduct that has divided the city in two since 1965. From the outset, Mecanoo’s idea has been to design a station that makes it clear to visitors that they have arrived in Delft. Coming up the escalators, the impressive ceiling with the historic map of Delft unfolds. When you look outside, you see the city and the old station as a modern ‘View of Delft’ by the painter Johannes Vermeer.

The city of Delft reflects its past: the multitude of historic buildings and canals; the ‘Prinsenstad’ city, closely connected to the Dutch Royal Family; and, of course, the world famous Delftware ceramic factories. On the other hand, the Delft University of Technology is at the forefront of technical innovation. The character of Delft, epitomized in this combination of past and future, was the starting point for the design.

Delft Blue
A vaulted ceiling features an enormous historic 1877 map of Delft and its surroundings, connecting the station with the city hall that is currently under construction. Within the station hall, walls and columns are adorned with a contemporary re-interpretation of Delft Blue tiles. The glass skin of the building is designed to reflect the Dutch skies. The panels of fused glass with lens-like spheres reference a vernacular window design that can be seen throughout the historic city. The combination and rhythm of open panels of high performance glass and closed fused glass panels enable a high degree of energy efficiency.

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Materials provided by Mecanoo architecten