Beatrixkwartier Light Rail Station is a Tubular Space-Frame Viaduct in The Hague

<a href="http://www.zwarts.jansma.nl/page/588/en" target="_blank">Beatrixkwartier</a> is The Hague's newest light rail station for the <a href="http://www.randstadrail.nl/html/index.php?page_id=2" target="_blank">RandstadRail</a> that features an impressive design with a tubular space-frame. Elevated above the Beatrixlaan, a highway in the center of the city, the new urban light rail station acts like a viaduct transporting passengers to their destination. The 400 meter long Beatrixkwartier is constructed from steel and concrete, and was designed by Amsterdam-based <a href="http://www.zwarts.jansma.nl/" target="_blank">Zwarts &amp; Jansma Architects</a>.

The Beatrixkwartier light rail station is one of the newest additions to the <a href="http://www.randstadrail.nl/" target="_blank">RandstadRail</a> system, which connects passengers between The Hague and Rotterdam.

The new station provides service for those working in the Beatrixkwartier office district and acts as a link between the tram viaduct at the Ternoot stop and the NS (Dutch Railways) railway embankment.

<a href="http://www.zwarts.jansma.nl/" target="_blank">Zwarts &amp; Jansma Architects</a> won a design competition back in 2008 for the project.

Rather than fitting a station in at street level it was decided an elevated station should not compromise vehicular traffic, visual sight lines or pedestrian safety.

Zwarts and Jansma created an 400 meter long elevated viaduct with a station in the middle, which is encased in a tubular space-frame.

The tube was prefabricated with a skeleton structure of rings of mild-steel strips with a diameter of about 10 meters, which were then interconnected by diagonally set tubes.

Construction of the Beatrixkwartier.

Beatrixkwartier concept.