Clearly Superior Design: Train Station Is All Glass Doors
While waiting for a train, you typically have two options. You can stand out on the platform in the weather, or you can hang out inside the station/waiting room and then deal with the mad rush through the doors when the train arrives.
ProRail, the Dutch national railway company, has decided to make the wait a bit more pleasant. They have aptly named their campaign “Prettig Wachten,” which literally translates to “pleasant wait.”
The initiative will see 20 stations across the country upgraded into happier, less stressful places to await your ride. One small town is receiving an upgrade courtesy of NL Architects that is beautifully simple in its design. Its exterior is made entirely of glass so that you can wait indoors but still easily see when your train arrives.
The design also solves the door stampede issue by making every one of the window panes a working door. When a train pulls in, everyone can get out onto the platform in no time without worrying about a bottleneck at the door. Though an all-glass exterior with endless opening doors definitely won’t provide as much shelter as a traditional building, the pavilion will still provide some refuge from the elements and a rather pleasant place to rest pre-commute.
