CONSORTIUM WITH BENTHEM CROUWEL ARCHITECTS WINS TENDER MIRT STUDY LEIDEN CENTRAL STATION AREA
The Municipality of Leiden awarded the contract for the MIRT study of Leiden Central Station area to the consortium consisting of Benthem Crouwel Architects, Royal HaskoningDHV, West 8 and AT Osborne. The consortium was chosen as the winner of this tender from a pool of 5 competing consortia. The selection committee speaks of 'a complete team with strong CV’s', and considers the submitted vision 'realistic and convincing'.
The station area of Leiden Central is under pressure. Due to the addition of residential and commercial functions in the project area, the city of Leiden and the region, Leiden Central Station area will soon reach the limits of its capacity. For this MIRT study the team examine variations for the layout of the area in which bottlenecks are solved while simultaneously achieving objectives for urbanization (program and spatial quality), mobility (increased use of public transport and an attractive transfer point), and sustainability. Last but not least, the Leiden community will be involved in the plans for the renewal of Leiden Central Station area.
The objective of the MIRT study is to, in the next two years, arrive at a selection of promising solutions that will be further investigated and developed. Based on these solutions, a preferred alternative will then be chosen for Leiden Central Station area.
The consortium has ample experience with transformations of public transport hubs and station areas in the Randstad. Together, the parties will approach the task with a fresh and creative perspective, leveraging their experience with similar public transport challenges such as Rotterdam Central station, Amsterdam Central station, and their knowledge of the region (Leiden Bio Science Park, R-net connection Leiden-Katwijk-Noordwijk).
This area has the potential to become the bustling heart of a vibrant urban district where connection, meeting, and greenery are central. In short, an area that adds value to the city and that Leiden residents can be proud of.
MIRT Study
The MIRT study is a Multi-Year Program for Infrastructure, Spatial Planning, and Transport. Between Leiden and Dordrecht (the Oude Lijn), approximately 54,000 new homes will be developed, and 80,000 additional workplaces will be created by 2030. To cope with the expected increase in traffic on the roads and simultaneously offer an environmentally friendly alternative to cars, an improved public transportation system is necessary. The MIRT exploration of Leiden Central Station area is one of the five MIRT studies on the Oude Lijn. In addition to Leiden Station, MIRT studies will also be initiated for the stations in Schiedam, Dordrecht, and Den Haag Laan van NOI. The fifth MIRT study on the Oude Lijn concerns an investigation into the City Sprinter concept and the integration of four new stations.
