Station Square Collalbo
STATION SQUARE COLLALBO
Roland Baldi Architects
LOCATION
Klobenstein, Italy
CATEGORY
Landscape + Planning › Urban Green Space
In the right square at the right time! Until recently, those traveling by train to Collalbo, when exiting the station building, were faced with an asphalted road and a parking lot full of cars. The Municipality has decided to change all this.
Roland Baldi Architects designed a new, open and spacious place for residents and visitors as part of the reconstruction of the Mobility Centre Collalbo, with a wide variety of seating and lounging areas that invite you to take a comfortable seat.
In close proximity to the Collalbo station, the new Mobility Centre has recently been built, also designed by Roland Baldi Architects, and consisting of a bus station, a car park and an underground garage.
The station square was thus the last piece of the puzzle to complete the Collalbo Mobility Centre. Roland Baldi Architects removed the street and car park in front of the station and built a new, inviting square instead.
Now, those traveling on the historic Renon railway line, the last of its kind in the whole of South Tyrol and which connects Soprabolzano to Collalbo, can enjoy along the route the breathtaking view of the Dolomites and be welcomed by an elegant square at the terminus.
Here tourists can find an information board to help them organise the excursions in the area or alternatively meet up with friends at the busy tables of the station bar. The flooring consists of alternating strips of green and reddish-brown porphyry cubes.
This carpet of natural stone covers the entire front area of the beautiful station building and stretches all the way to the platform. The various porphyry strips are partly interrupted by small green areas or seating. The green areas are alternately planted with spherical box trees, Japanese sedge, sedum areas and red maple trees.
The furniture, such as rubbish bins, bicycle stands and pole lights, were made of brown corten steel. The imposing oak tree in front of the station bar was retained. It was given a new edging and will continue to provide cooling shade for guests.
The area in front of the station was also completely restructured in terms of traffic. The former road and car park were removed and replaced by the current traffic-calmed square. Only residents of the residential area behind the station are allowed to drive through this area at walking speed
Natural stone speed bumps at both ends of the square remind drivers of the speed limit. A roundabout and a few car parking spaces have been built in front of the new square. This area works as a kiss and ride zone. It is used to stop briefly, let someone out and leave directly.
The only thing that has been kept in place is the bronze sculpture by the artist Franz Messner: a goat peering through its mirror at some sparrows, also cast in bronze, who have recently begun whistling from the station roof: " In the right square at the right time!”
