Footbridges rarely serve any purpose beyond getting people across an obstacle. Through clever planning, however, a new footbridge in Køge, Denmark, will create a major travel hub. The bridge at Køge North Station will do so by linking otherwise unconnected road and rail infrastructure.
Køge North Station will be built on a new line into Copenhagen and will sit next to the Køge Bay Motorway, which project architects Cobe says is the busiest motorway in Denmark. The station footbridge will span both the motorway and railway lines, stretching for 225 m (738 ft).
In addition to providing people with a means of crossing the motorway and railway lines, it will provide a means of interchange between transport types, as well as between long-distance, regional and commuter trains. A park and ride service will operate from the station for this reason and a planned 900 parking spaces will be available initially, with the potential for increasing that figure to 2,700. Journey times to Copenhagen Central Station will be around just 20 minutes.
Cobe hopes that the bridge will become a distinctive landmark for the area and its design is certainly eye-catching. The outside of the bridge will be made of perforated steel, making it look like some sort of futuristic tube. It will bend only slightly in a number of places, gracefully connecting two offset points on either side of the motorway and railway.
Inside, wooden paneling will be used to create a warm and welcoming environment. Large windows will run along the full length of the bridge on one side, providing expansive views, and there are floor-to-ceiling windows at each end. Seating will be strategically placed in certain locations so that visitors can enjoy the views.
The side of the bridge opposite windows will be kept closed in order to act as a solar screen. This will provide shade inside the bridge and will help to reduce heat-loss, in turn helping to reduce energy use.
Construction of Køge North Station is expected to begin in 2016, with the project due for completion in 2018.
Sources: Cobe, Banedanmark
