The Troisvierges P+R, more than meets the eye

To make it even easier for customers in the north of the country, specifically in Troisvierges (Ulflingen), to leave their car and continue their journey by train/bus, an unparalleled “Park and Ride” building is being built next to the train station.

Work on this new building has been underway since September 2022 to more than double the original number of parking spaces on the previous open site (172 spaces). However, this is not the place where a concrete block is going to be installed in the rural surroundings. The plans are based on pure architectural expertise, which optimally adapts the construction method to the existing surroundings.

The chameleon among Luxembourg’s multi-storey car parks

602 tonnes of steel sounds like an iron block at first. However, the sheer weight of the metal structure does not do justice to the architectural concept of the P+R. Because : As Jérôme, Chargé d’affaires on site, explains to us, Troisvierges is not a concrete block. “You must never forget that this building must be integrated into an existing environment and, above all, a residential area,” he explains.

So that the maximum number of parking spaces can be created in a small space (editor’s note The new P+R is being built in exactly the same space as the previous open car park), the building is necessarily higher. However, as there are houses all around, it was important to the CFL to minimise the impact of the new building, especially in terms of the shade it creates. From an architectural point of view, this was achieved by digging deep into a bag of tricks.

A decision was made without much hesitation to divide the total of 389 parking spaces into five half levels. The results of a comprehensive analysis were behind this at first glance curious structural decision.

“To ensure that local residents don’t suffer from the shadow of the P+R, the structure was chosen so that only the top floor of the flats is in the shade,” explains Jérôme. The floors below can continue to benefit from the sun in the north of the country. What sounds technical at first quickly becomes clearer with the 3D simulations. In fact, it is noticeable that the building structure slopes down towards the nearby Rue Staetgen, which minimises the shadow cast by the building.

A play of light and architectural gem for Troisvierges

In order to integrate the new P+R even better into the rural surroundings, the CFL opted for an unusual design for the exterior façades. During our visit to the site, the side facing the platform had already been largely completed. The decision was made to use horizontal slats, which can create different shades of white depending on the amount of sunlight. The choice of the shape of these slats is a tribute to the tracks, which are only a few metres away from the car park. However, Jérôme is particularly fond of the rear of the new building. “I may be biased, but the façade of this P+R is the most beautiful in Luxembourg,” he says, not without pride.

And well deserved, because the rear of the P+R resembles a true play of light. 1110 vertical slats create a true play of light thanks to their slightly offset installation. Each slat is positioned precisely and the respective brackets are fixed by hand to ensure a specific angle. The result: the optical perception of a wave form and a true play of light thanks to the different angles chosen, which shape the incidence of light in such a way that the optical impression is perfected.

What happens next?

Construction of the facades will continue over the next few weeks. The laying of the poured asphalt will then begin in March. At the beginning of April, the bus station will be remodelled at the same time. In addition to 7 bus stops, rest and break facilities for the local bus drivers will also be created here. In the last quarter of the year, the car park in Ulflingen will have a green roof and photovoltaic systems. Up to 144 kW peak power can then be fed directly into the P+R’s power circuit. The park and ride will therefore be completely autonomous from an electrical point of view, notes Jérôme.

By the time the car park opens in spring 2025, colour will have literally come into play. Each level will be given the colour scheme typical of every CFL P+R. Finally, the cash desk and barrier systems will be installed, because thanks to the CFL P+R app, you will also be able to park for free in Troisvierges for 24 hours if you continue your journey by bus or train.

So there is a lot of work to do, which we will continue to report on in the future.

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