The three tram traction stations designed by Van Belle Medina were commissioned by De Lijn, which is the public transport company of Belgium.
The three electrical cabins provide power to the new tram line in the north of Antwerp. The objects themselves are located in different plots, however thanks to its forms, construction and materials, they can be perceived as one united concept, where every one is a part of a larger whole.
The three different locations and technical requirements give as a result three different buildings, by making use of every particular setting; in a small park on Noorderlaan in the Luchtbal residential area, under a bridge next to a bus park in Tjalkstraat, and on the cross roads opposite of Zaha Hadid’s Port House.
Their voluptuous brick forms transform them into pavilions, introducing poetry into the different and difficult urban sites. The project contributes to an urban narrative, creating unprecedented views of the landscape, examining what sustainability means and exploring the boundaries of what the architectural discipline stands for.
