Extension GPMG, Montreux

Short description

70 parking spaces between the platforms of Montreux station. The Park + Rail parking lot at Montreux railroad station, which opened in 1997, is located in the town center and offers direct access to the SBB - MOB (Montreux-Oberland Bernois, Golden Pass) and Glion-Naye railroad stations, the surrounding hotels and the CGN (Compagnie Générale de Navigation) landing stage.

The project

The extension to the Park+Rail parking lot at Montreux station is a small revolution in architecture in itself and a world first. To accommodate the 70 additional parking spaces, the architect and engineer have designed a new type of structure. It is a 1,600 square meter space without central pillars, covered by a translucent roof that pleasantly softens the natural light during the day. At night, the parking garage lights up like a magic lantern. The key to this effect lies in two words: tensairity beams (tension+air+integrity). These twelve beams consist of a cylindrical tube made of an elastic and fireproof membrane and are filled with air at very low pressure (125 mb). Any pressure fluctuations are immediately corrected by a compressor. Equipped with variable lighting, the beams light up in a rainbow of colors that can be programmed according to the cultural events in Montreux. At each end, they are supported by 24 inclined metal posts set into a reinforced concrete slab.

Services in detail

In its original configuration, the parking garage had 219 spaces, which were on average over 60% full - a sure sign of overcrowding. As the expansion of the Park+Rail parking lot had become a matter of course, the choice of location fell on a vacant area forming a triangle between the SBB and MOB tracks. The extension was built above the existing parking garage, directly at platform level. Such a situation has the advantage of improving parking facilities for Montreux residents, public transport users and visitors passing through.