Borgloon Fruit Station
The Borgloon station area underwent a metamorphosis into a lively meeting place and symbolic gateway to the ‘Fruitroute’. The Loon Fruit Station includes a unique planting concept, allows visitors to experience the rich fruit history and refers in various ways to the former railway line that once traversed the landscape.
The thorough transformation of Borgloon's station area is part of the realization of the ‘Fruitroute’. The 'Fruitroute' is the nickname for railway line 23, which was established in 1879 between Sint-Truiden and Tongeren and was mainly used for transporting fruit and sugar beets.
The tracks were dismantled in 1971, but the route is still visible as a straight line running through the landscape, now serving as a cycling path. The fruit route connects Sint-truiden, Borgloon and Tongeren through a long green corridor.
Once the railway line was abolished, the station area served as a warehouse for the city's technical services, a purely functional function. However, since 2007 the city has been working on repurposing this site with exceptional heritage value.
In the shadow of the syrup factory and the fruit experience centre, the station square will undergo a metamorphosis. This transformation includes the development and organization of the former station area into a visitor site, a bike connection along the former fruit track, and a base for walkers and cyclists. Because the ‘Fruitroute’ literally runs right through the station area.
The station area has been transformed into a lively meeting place that refers to the rich history of the fruit processing industry. The ‘Fruit Station’ acts as a symbolic gateway to the Fruit Route.
From this central location, visitors set off to discover the Haspengouw countryside along the historic ‘Fruitroute’. At the ‘Fruit Station’, they get an inspiring introduction to the route and a first glimpse of the unique fruit culture that characterizes the region.
The new pavilion, elegantly designed by A2o architects, refers to the former station building and consists of an elongated volume with alternating covered, semi-covered and open spaces and forms the station's platform. The multi-purpose ‘Fruit Station’ includes a reception function, bicycle repair point, rest area and space for events.
The ‘Fruit Station’ includes a unique planting concept with huge layering from native perennials to new biodiverse herbs, shrubs, wild and botanical roses and fruit-related trees. These refer to the history of the fruit industry on this site.
The historic station square will be reconstructed as a tribute to its original character. Some of the original cobblestones will be carefully reinstalled to preserve the authentic atmosphere. Part of the historic railway tracks will return to their original location, while the remaining tracks on the original alignment will be replicated with a modern, concrete interpretation. This consists of concrete railroad ties and tracks, designed as modular elements that fit together seamlessly. They are alternately recessed or flush with ground level, creating a dynamic interplay of lines across the site, subtly referencing the site's historic railway lines and rich railway past.
The composition of all site paving and precast elements on the site is carefully done using typical limestone as a base, a stone that was widely used in the region at the height of the site's history.
It forms the basis of the paving concept. The limestone is also applied loosely (boulders in different sizes) in different zones, allowing special flora and fauna and thus more biodiversity.
