ZOB Esslingen

Werner Sobek’s design won the competition for the redesign of the central bus station of the city of Esslingen am Neckar. The bus station located at the Esslingen railway station was to be architecturally upgraded in its urban appearance by a new roof. Werner Sobek developed a curved roof for this, which is derived from the topography of the surrounding landscape.

Triangular Opaque and Transparent Glass Fields

Through curvatures on the long sides of the roof, the covered area opens up to the south towards the Zollberg and to the north towards the vineyards. The supporting structure rests on individual steel supports and consists of a curved grid with a triangular base structure. The roof covering is formed by triangular glass panes that have the same dimensions as the basic structure of the grid. The alternation between opaque and transparent glass panels makes it possible to ensure optimal conditions for passengers waiting under the roof. The covered area is always flooded with daylight and bright.