Regional Police Station Nijmegen

The South Gelderland Police Station occupies a distinctive site next to the railway tracks in Nijmegen. The location is a low-lying, lozenge-shaped parcel set in the city’s so-called ‘railway hollow’; the difference between the level of this site and that of buildings in the surrounding area is 8 metres. The new building rests on columns, which were used to preserve the heritage of the historical hollow. Columns rising from the ground support parking decks. A bridge connects the street to a white deck that houses facilities open to the public. An austere blue volume accommodating office space appears to hover in midair. At the heart of the building lies a glass-enclosed atrium that visually interconnects all floors and functions. Circulation routes situated at the corners of the building are completed by eye-catching pyramidal skylights that provide the routes with daylight. These also symbolize the place where the sky touches the earth. The building’s commanding silver and blue presence is a clear reference to the police force.