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A Model of Orderly Urban Space in Germany: Bahnhofplatz Aachen

2014-08-18 490 0人评论

The orderly, well-designed urban space of Aachen's station square serves as a striking gateway to the city. The new station square represents the image of both the city and the railway, and stands as a major landmark of Aachen.

Bahnhofplatz Aachen

Project name: Bahnhofplatz Aachen

Architects: HH+F Architekten Hentrup Heyes + Fuhrmann

Location: Aachen, Germany

Area: 8,400 m²

Photography: Courtesy of HH+F Architekten Hentrup Heyes + Fuhrmann, J?rg Hempel Photodesign, Kai Kasugai

Public open space is the living area of a city. If the market square is the “living room,” then the station square is the “entrance.”

The focus of the project was the reconstruction of the station square, reuniting its two halves into a single unified open space. To achieve this, the architects designed a large oval structure covering the entire square. This design is both simple and robust, making it the best choice for re-integrating the space. At the same time, the orientation of the oval square helps guide passengers from the station into the city.

The rest of the square is paved with black basalt slabs, highlighting the bright, gently curved oval surface. The simple square design organizes traffic flows, creates activity zones, and becomes a public living area in the city center.

A stone-paved passage guides visitors from the station's main entrance to Bahnhofstra?e and the city center. Seating areas are located in the semicircular space of the north square, adjacent to the main entrance and the fountain. Concrete benches are placed in front of the rows of trees at the northern end of the square, and two wedge-shaped bus stops flank the square, serving as gateways into the city.