Station Delft Campus
Thanks to an innovative canopy, station Delft Campus is the first completely energy neutral train station in the Netherlands.
A batlike structure
Benthem Crouwel Architects designed the station, which was made possible by the high ambitions of ProRail and the municipality of Delft, in a collaboration with Royal HaskoningDHV and Witteveen+Bos. Its batlike structure takes inspiration from the high-tech world of stealth technology and from biomimicry, where manmade constructions imitate nature.
An innovative roof design
All of the Delft Campus station facilities like elevators, announcement system, ticket machines and lighting run on the energy provided by the canopy. That a relatively small roof is able to generate that much power (equivalent to the yearly consumption of 70 households) is made possible by the unique design: instead of the usual roof with solar panels on top, Benthem Crouwel Architects created a canopy that is made entirely out of these panels.
Two large awnings span the tracks, fanning out on both sides of the platforms like giant, protective wings. The awnings consist of a steel structure with solar panels attached to the beams. The panels are placed in east-west direction with a 10-15 degree angle, creating a zigzag surface that is most optimal for catching the sunlight. Between the panels, narrow gutters take care of the rainwater drainage. Near the elevators a glass shutter gives access to the roof, making it easy to clean and maintain the canopy.
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