A historical city with a futuristic railway station
The newly built ICE route between Frankfurt and Cologne has given the small town of Montabaur a railway station of the 21st century. The station was planned by Darmstadt architects Jux & Partner who were able to mitigate the stark contrast between half-timbered houses in the country and a high-tech railway station near the highway by means of a few yet consistent design principles.
Positioned nearer the highway than the city due to high noise emissions, the railway station needs to be integrated into Montabaur's municipal infrastructure in the coming years. The starting point will be an industrial estate intended to create jobs in the immediate and readily accessible vicinity of the railway station. Lying 14 meters above the city at the same level as the highway, the building is lent a light and inviting appearance by a continuous installation of glass. A transparent noise barrier provides an insight to people approaching from the city, while arched glass roofs let daylight flood the building's interior. Glass houses on the platforms provide protection against wind. At night, the railway station's interior lights pointing outward in all directions turn it into a luminous crystal serving as an identification point for observers on the highway and in the city.
Quality of a "subterranean" stopover
The railway station is entered at ground level via a passage whose stairways and elevators lead to the platforms. The passage varies in width: At one point, it widens into a small plaza which invites visitors to dwell for a while instead of rushing onward through the subterranean area. This provides for social monitoring and enhanced security. Another essential feature of the passage is its transparent and friendly outfitting. For instance, daylight is able to pass through large apertures in the ceiling panels and reach the very bottom of the passage. Glass, bright steel profiles and a floor covering made of light-colored stone are supplemented by a discreet ceiling design. By virtue of their fine-meshed structure, pinta EXPANDEDLINE expanded-metal elements stand out distinctly while appearing very light at the same time. Mirrored cover strips above the joints lend the elements a very elegant appearance. The architects selected this system because of its homogeneous and discreet metallic surface, thus perpetuating the building's technical character down to the smallest details. Supplemented by acoustic inlays made of melamine foam, these elements are also suitable for achieving sophisticated room acoustics. Furthermore, the ceiling system complies with building material class A2 (non-combustible) according to DIN 4102. The railway station therefore entirely meets the requirements placed on a user-friendly, safe and modern environment for short- and long-distance travelers.
Project data
Building developer: Deutsche Bahn Corporation
Planning: Jux Group Limited GmbH, Darmstadt
System: pinta EXPANDEDLINE, 1250 mm x 1250 mm, RAL 9006 brilliant chrome, powder coated, fastened with standard 24-mm T-profiles
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