Reconnecting a city and creating a gateway to Finland
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The city of Tampere is one of the fastest growing urban centres in Finland and has a promising future as a growing metropolitan area. The Tampere Travel and Service Centre has both the potential to become an important gateway to Tampere and Finland, in addition to functioning as a generator for the development of Tampere’s urban centre. Approached through an urban point of view, the project sees the Tampere Travel and Service Centre as an essential role both as a local connector within the city as well as a national connector. It provides a solid foundation for connecting the two sides of the city, now divided by the railway. ReConnecting Tampere unites the city together once and for all and creates a unified Tampere. |
Location: Tampere, Finland Program: New Travel and Service Centre for the City of Tampere, and a master plan for the areas surrounding the railyard Size: 120 000 m2 Status: 1st prize in competition 2014, ongoing Client: City of Tampere, Finnish Transport Agency, VR-Group and Senate Properties Collaborators: COBE, Ramboll Finland Oy, Newsec Team: Eero Lundén, Maija Parviainen, Ron Aasholm |
Aerial View
ReConnecting Tampere proposes to develop a united city centre, in which the Tampere Travel and Service Centre acts as the new urban heart of the city. The scar in the existing urban structure created by railway tracks will be healed by the urban centre expanding across the railway yard from the east towards the west part of the city centre. The new cityscape on the deck, above the railway tracks, will be characterised by new, smooth transitions between various modes of transportation, excellent connections from east to west, as well as unique urban environment with a strong architectural identity. The new urban deck will be defined by various functions and a diverse building fabric. Commercial, retail, housing and cultural programs will work in a symbiotic relationship.
Arcade and Central Park
The existing square in front of the railway station on the Rautatienkatu side is transformed into a new Central Park, where the new urban deck meets the existing city centre with a vibrant commercial arcade. The new park acts as the city’s new green lung. It provides an exceptional urban meeting place all year round as well as a recreational landscape in the very centre of Tampere.
The new Tampere Travel and Service Centre will be the first station in Finland to seamlessly connect all modes of transportation under the same roof. The new Centre will be located on three levels which enable the placement of all different modes of transportation in close proximity with each other. In the future the new Tampere Travel and Service Centre will not only act as the crossroad of Finnish train traffic, but also become an important connection point to international destinations with the rapidly growing Tampere International Airport. The new urban heart – an elevated plaza on top of the Centre – will form one of the most important public spaces in Tampere. The wooden columns rise from the station’s platform level and bend to form a 4500m2 canopy over the new public heart of the city. The ethereal roof structure together with trees and small kiosk pavilions give a unique character to the plaza.
Station Plaza
The new Tampere Travel and Service Centre will become a place where visitors can immediately experience Tampere and where local citizens can enjoy an urban centre that is alive and full of energy 24/7 and 365 days a year.
"ReConnecting Tampere" presents a completely new starting point for reconnecting Tampere locally, nationally, and internationally.
Connecting all modes of transportation under one roof
Station Elevation
Site plan of the transport hub in its context
