Stuttgart’s New Main Station

As part of a major European infrastructure project, Stuttgart’s old terminus station is currently being expanded into an underground through station. Because of their complex geometry, the chalice-shaped columns carrying the roof of the new station are a significant design element. Their function is not only structural; they also provide natural lighting and ventilation for the interior. In issue 5/2019 the German-language magazine “Beton- und Stahlbetonbau” published an informative article about the station’s engineering by Werner Sobek. The article describes the form finding and calculation of these unique geometries and explains how a technically and economically sustainable implementation was made possible by the structural engineers.

A PDF of the article can be downloaded here.