tetrarc connects vitré railway station with pedestrian bridge

in northwestern france, architecture firm tetrarc has finalized the renovation and reorganization of a railway station. the multimodal project in the town of vitré involved the creation of a pedestrian footbridge that traverses the railway, pathways that link various public squares, and an underground parking garage for 620 cars. the scheme seeks to unite the once isolated site with a series of interventions that facilitate pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

a pedestrian footbridge traverses the site
image © thomas vittu (also main image)

the brief called for a car park that would provide space for more than 600 cars, naturally occupying a large portion of the site. as a result, tetrarc made the structure as inconspicuous as possible, despite its 130 meter length and 10 meter height. merging with the existing terrain, the garage is topped with greenery and vegetation. moreover, the positioning of the car park frees up space for additional programming on the opposing side of the tracks.

the scheme seeks to unite the once isolated site with a series of interventions
image © thomas vittu

taking into account the site’s geographic and topographic complexities, the design team traversed the entire site with a footbridge positioned above the parking lot. conceived as a public promenade, the thoroughfare has been carefully laid out in order to connect not just the station, but the neighborhood as a whole. creating a pedestrian route to the station’s north car park, the footbridge joins the adjacent place de la victoire, while a further pathway on top of the parking garage leads to rue pierre lemaître.

conceived as a public promenade, the thoroughfare has been carefully laid out
image © thomas vittu

the footbridge also forms an observation deck, allowing both locals and visitors to view vitré from a new perspective. particular sightlines are directed towards château de vitré, a medieval castle whose presence dates back to the end of the 11th century. materials that reference the region’s appearance have been used throughout — timber cladding that echoes the existing roofs of the old town, and gabions that refer to vitré’s characteristic stone walls.

timber cladding echoes the existing roofs of the old town
image © stephane chalmeau