Building the future – sustainably!

The vaulted structure is supported
by 28 so-called “light eyes” –
organic-tectonic hollow columns
that flare as they rise, opening
into inverted bells. Giant skylights
permit daylight and fresh air to
stream into the station, so practically
no energy is required for
heating, cooling, and artificial
lighting.
The design is sustainable in other
ways besides energy efficiency.
Material consumption is extremely
low – as is the consumption of
urban space, because the concrete
structure is built to support
pedestrian traffic. The roof of the
station forms a new urban square.
In three-dimensional renderings
the design by Ingenhoven radiates
harmony and natural logic. The
complexity of the construction
goes unnoticed. Because the
tracks through the station are at
a slope, the 28 organic columns
are graduated in height – from
8 meters to 13.5. The structural
calculations are a masterly feat
of engineering. The result looks
feather-light, easily composed.
The refined aesthetic and ecological
concept behind it all seems
to dissolve into weightlessness.
“Main Station, Stuttgart, Germany”,
by Ingenhoven Architects, Düsseldorf,
Germany
Christoph Ingenhoven was born in
1960 and established Ingenhoven
Architects at the age of 25.
The Düsseldorf architecture office
designs airports, train stations,
stadiums, hospitals, urban spaces
and restaurants. The work of
Ingenhoven Architects has
achieved worldwide notice, particularly
the European Investment
Bank building in Luxemburg and a
156-meter-tall high-rise in Osaka,
Japan, scheduled for completion
in 2008.
Assessment by Enrique Norten:
“This pioneering project incorporates materi-
als, structures and knowledge into a sustain-
able design for reclaiming urban space. The
innovative approach is impressive, as is the
efficient and refined use of technology, and
the intelligent management of resources.
This energy-efficient design will surely
provide long-term environmental benefits
and will hopefully increase public awareness
of the necessity of conserving resources.”
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Enrique Norten (USA/Mexico), founding
principal of TEN Arquitectos, was a
member of the jury for the global Holcim
Awards 2006.