Background information:
Concrete bus stops were built from the 1950s to the 1970s. After that, mainly glass models came on the market. Before the 1950s, the bus network was still relatively small and mainly wooden shelters were built in the busiest places. The copy, from the mid-1950s, that served as a model for Markenburg has since been placed on the list of municipal monuments. This is important because in 2021 this last example of its kind suffers from subsidence and concrete rot, both of which must be remedied in order to guarantee its survival. Graffiti is removed with some regularity, which indeed also means that it is regularly reapplied. The latter may have to do with location. After all, this shelter is located just outside of Tilburg on a quiet main road. Also a stone's throw from Koningshoeven Abbey.
Background information:
The bus stops are made up of two small end walls between which the concrete panels of the partition wall have been slid. The top panel has 4 decorative diamond-shaped openings. The roof is also made of reinforced concrete and has a curved shape. In addition to being aesthetically more attractive, it is also designed to allow the rainwater to roll off the roof smoothly. The fact that this water then falls exactly in the walking route and in front of the waiting area of the passengers was only experienced as inconvenient later on. The choice for concrete was made because in the 1950s people wanted to build quickly, cheaply and for life. If the design had remained popular for longer, that goal could have been amply achieved.
