URBAN LANDMARK AND MODERN MOBILITY HUB
The Pforzheim Central Bus Station has won an impressive number of awards – the German Steel Construction Award 2016, Architectural Prize of the State of Baden-Württemberg 2016, Balthasar Neumann Award 2016, Gold Award from the German Designer Club 2016 and Iconic Award 2016 – and there are probably more to follow.
As part of a large infrastructural development project to improve traffic conditions, the new bus station has made a valuable architectural contribution to the enhancement of the overall area around Pforzheim Central Railway Station. The previously unattractive area to the east of the railway station is now framed by this new transport structure, which was designed by Metaraum Architekten, and the historic railway station, an elegant Helmuth Conradi building dating from 1957–1958.
A high, curved roof with three segments hovers above a total of 29 bus bays for town and regional bus services. The white roof, clad in sheet metal, consists of a steel structure with slender supports and girder grid. The pattern on the underside of the cladding echoes the curves and loops made by buses entering and exiting the bus station. The view from below is shaped by round openings in the roof, which let in light and sunshine. The shadows that are produced create striking contrasts and give the space a dynamic aspect. The fact that the openings are exclusively positioned above the lanes ensures that pedestrians do not get wet when it rains. The wide projecting roof shape on the south side and the downward curvature of the roof to street level on the north side protect against sideways rain.
The new Central Bus Station is particularly striking at dusk and at night. It is during those times that the carefully thought-out lighting system emphasises the delicate filigree of the roof support structure, causing the ceiling to shine. It also creates a pleasant and welcoming environment in which passengers waiting for buses feel comfortable and safe.
A total of three lighting systems with different colour temperatures and distribution characteristics are used in this design. The ceiling surfaces are illuminated by special WE-EF LED luminaires with a colour temperature of 4000 K, based on the VFL500 series. Direct lighting for the bus platforms and circulation areas is provided by DOC240-GB recessed exterior downlights that have a warm white colour temperature. The gimballed feature means that the luminaire can be focused precisely on the surface to be illuminated and fixed in place. Last but not least, the edges of the roof are accentuated with orange-coloured light bands.
Architects: Metaraum Architekten, Stuttgart
Lighting Designer: Day & Light Lichtplanung, Munich