Grandeur, efficiency, and transparency are the first impressions at the sight of Berlin’s spectacular Central Train Station. Opened to public use in May 2006, it is Europe’s largest central train station, expecting over 350,000 passengers and about 1800 inter- and intra-city train connections daily. The German government commissioned the mega project after the fall of the Great Berlin Wall and the increasing need to stitch the east and west and unify the extensive rail routes of Berlin. Architects Meinhard von Gerkan and Jürgen Hillmer and the Hamburg studio Marg & Partners were appointed to realize this project as the winners of the competition proposal for the redesign of the Lehrter Bahnhof in 1993. This was the central part of the mushroom concept for the city of Berlin, which defined the extent and routes of the city’s rail routes. Its location was walkable to the government district and many other important landmarks of the city.
- Design :
The construction of the Berlin Hauptbahnhof lasted for 11 years. Architects Gerkan and Marg fostered this mega project to be a “Cathedral of Transport.” The concept was to highlight the crossing point of an increasingly integrated Europe and to draw emphasis on the existing rail lines. The modern look was achieved by using glazing and steel panels throughout its structure. The connectivity is vivid through this, see-through structure that takes the eyes of the viewer through the interiors and operations of the building from the street level. Transparency is often emphasized by the German state and reflected in its various buildings of importance, like this one, the Reichstag, and others. Each level is filled with natural light flowing in from its strategically designed light wells. The enclosure with its glass and steel structure and the panoramic lift systems give away its characteristic dynamic, futuristic look. The building is accessible from all four sides and spills into open terraces at a height of 4.43 meters from street level, which constitutes relaxing public spaces away from commuter circulation.
The expanse of the project is approximately 175,000 square meters. Zoned into 5 levels, 2 levels accommodate 6 railway platforms that span from east to west on the overhead platforms of 430 m and 8 on the north-south platforms in the underground tunnels. The intermediate levels house capacious circulation spaces for a smooth flow during peak hours, shops, restaurants, and lounge areas for the commuters to create a self-contained shell housed within, for their needs and comfort. The east and west towers in the structure house several adaptable office spaces and a hotel on 9 out of the 10 floors.
2. Construction:
The construction of this megaproject, which lasted for about 11 years, was a legend of logistics. Having been designed on a spree bed, the sandy soil proved to be a major challenge in laying the cruciform base foundations of the structure. The project also witnessed leakage in the underground structure several times during construction, leading to project completion delays.
321 meters of the 430-meter-long railway tracks running east-west are covered by a glass dome of space grids braced by cable networks, thrusting out about 16 meters high and 68 meters wide, supported by 23 steel trusses. The north-south railway lines that run at the lowest level are covered by barrel vaults, filigree, and glass structures of 40 meters and 160 meters, supported by the building blocks on either side. 500,000 cubic meters of concrete and 85,000 tons of steel. The glass dome consists of 11,800 unique-size glass panels covering an area of 20,000 square meters. and a steel cable support of about 137,000 meters supports and stabilizes the roof against wind and weather.
- Sustainability:
The Berlin Central train station project was designed to keep sustainability at its core as a highly integrated public transportation hub. It showcases several instances of environmental considerations and energy efficiency.
The project itself was designed based on a multi-modal transport hub, promoting Germany’s vision of an advanced public transportation service over private vehicles. It established accessible connectivity with multiple modes of other systems such as trams, buses, bicycles, and trains, which reduces the overall carbon emissions associated with commuting in a megacity such as Berlin. This integration supports Berlin’s broader goals of sustainable urban mobility and reducing the city’s reliance on cars.
The station is built extensively with glass and steel, which is recyclable and reduces the carbon footprint of the building. It uses high-performance glass that helps control the internal temperature, reducing heat loss in the extreme winters and heat gain during the summers. The station also features the use of low-environment impact insulation materials for enhanced comfort inside.
The construction phases of the station involved innovative water management solutions due to its location near the River Spree and the Tiergarten. During construction, the river was temporarily redirected, and extensive measures were taken to manage groundwater. These efforts ensured minimal disruption to the local ecosystem and highlighted the project’s commitment to sustainability in challenging environmental conditions.
These features underline the station’s role not just as a transportation hub, but as a model for sustainable urban development, showcasing how infrastructure can be both functional and environmentally responsible.
