Duisburg Main Station

A new train shed is being built at Duisburg Central Station.

This shed includes a roof structure consisting of undulating steel beams that will replace the existing roof — a construction made of timber-clad steel. Large openings will allow a great deal of daylight to reach the space inside. Measuring 124 x 150 m in size, the new train shed shares the same basic dimensions as its predecessor and, like its predecessor, will span all thirteen of the station’s tracks. The new building’s supporting elements are made out of steel, with the remainder of its components consisting of glass. This glazing means that artificial lighting will no longer be required during the day. The design for the new building includes a number of slender supports that will bear the loads from the roof. In contrast to the train shed’s previous iteration, the bases of these supports will be located on the platforms themselves rather than in the area of the tracks.

A Spotlight on Bird-Safe Glass

This facade project stands out in particular due to its approach to bird-safe glass. Since 2017, there has been a legal requirement in Germany to reduce the number of birds that collide with buildings’ facades. Therefore, towns, cities and municipalities are obliged to examine and minimise the risk of bird collisions in line with nature conservation regulations.