Achim Birnbaum

A railway station project of the 21st century.
This weekend, half-time was celebrated in Stuttgart. We have now completed 14 of the 28 chalice-shaped concrete supports which form the roof of the new main railway station. The underground train hall will be illuminated by huge skylights, creating a bright, welcoming ambiance. Visitors will be able to walk on the station's roof, which will create a new urban space right next to the Schlossgarten park.

The new main railway station designed by ingenhoven architects forms the centerpiece of the Stuttgart 21 transport and urban design project. The new light-flooded underground through station is to replace the existing Stuttgart terminus station.

In 1997, the comprehensive concept by ingenhoven architects won first prize in the international architectural competition for the project. The state-of-the-art railway station, which is currently under construction, will provide Stuttgart with a better connection to the European rail network. In addition, by moving the new tracks underground, space is being created for a new city center. In this way, the new main railway station will become the interface between the old and new heart of the city and the departure point towards further urban development.

Assembly of the steel construction segments on the Stuttgart 21 construction site.

A light eye is made up of 8 steel construction segments. Each segment is suspended and adjusted using chain hoists and heavy-duty belts over 3 lattice girders. The segments can then be welded together to form a steel mesh structure - at any time of year. This is because the assembly area above the light eye is completely covered. Sea freight containers form a container enclosure. These serve on the one hand as a supporting structure for the 3 lattice girders, which are important for fixing the steel construction segments, and on the other hand as a trailer for the roof construction.