Dresden Station Redevelopment Press Pack

Dresden Station Redevelopment Germany 1997– 2005

Dresden Station, one of the most impressive nineteenth-century railways termini in Europe and one of the few major buildings to survive the air raid of 1945, was built in 1898 to a design by Ernst Giese and Paul Weidner. Severely damaged during World War II, it deteriorated further due to poor maintenance in the post-war period. The original roof was partially glazed, but after the war it was covered with timber, admitting little daylight. Faced with this crumbling structure, Foster and Partners removed various additions and alterations made to the building over the last hundred years in order to restore the integrity of the original design. A striking new 30,000m2 tefloncoated glass fibre skin, floods the station with daylight, significantly reducing reliance on artificial lighting. The new roof is supported by the nineteenth-century station arches, with only minimal reinforcement, drawing attention to the fine detailing of the existing structure. At night, light reflects off the underside of the roof canopy, creating an even wash of illumination, while from outside the whole structure radiates an ethereal silvery glow. Part of a wider masterplan to revive the surrounding area, the project includes the restoration of the historic reception building containing the Travel Centre, shops and restaurants. Like a grand basilica, the reception building contains a cruciform arcade, crowned by a 34-metre high square glass cupola. Previously hidden, the dome’s glazing has been replaced and a new movable transparent foil cushion beneath it allows light to fill the space and facilitates natural ventilation. Historic waiting rooms form a Travel Centre and restaurant area, with shops lining the arches of the arcade. Circulation within and through the station has been rationalised. The design allows for the future expansion of the station by extending the barrel-vaulted membrane roof over the outer platforms by 200 metres, providing a cover for the new high-speed trains, which are almost twice the length of the old platforms.

First Floor FP228417 © Foster + Partners

FP144233 © Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

FP144216 © Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

Long Section FP228419 © Foster + Partners

FP148063 © Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

For further information please contact Katy Harris or Josephine Cutts at Foster + Partners T +44 (0)20 7738 0455 F +44 (0)20 7738 1107 E [email protected]

Facts and Figures

Historic Station • Historic Station opened in 1898 • Original design by Giese & Weidner • North/south elevation 240m long • East/west elevation 122m long • Centre hall iron arches span 59m, 32m high • North/south hall iron arches span 31/32m, 19m high • Reception Building Area 4,500m² New design – Platform Halls • 29,000m² membrane roof, area covered by roof 24,500m² • Glass fibre fabric, teflon coated • 67 skylights • Refurbishment was carried out while trains were running • Movable working platforms were used with scaffolding on top New Design – Reception Building • Historic, cruciform arcade to be reconstructed (central concourse 70m long, intersecting concourse 50m long), 34 metre-high glass dome to be reinstated above the crossing-point of the two concourses • Historic 400m² waiting rooms converted into Travel Centre and Market Hall with contemporary roofs • Retail facilities are located in the arcade • Mainly natural stone (from the mountains near the Elbe river) • The same materials were used as those in the Frauenkirche • 15m movable ETFE foil cushion below glazed dome

Cross Section 1 FP228411© Foster + Partners

Programme • March 1997: Design start • December 1997: Presentation to Deutsche Bahn board • September 1999: Deutsche Bahn review of project basis • April 2000: Project proceeded with reduced scheme, membrane roof only • August 2000: Construction drawings membrane roof submitted • February 2001: Site start membrane roof • August 2002: Flood • October 2003: Start on site reception building • July 2006: Project completion to be ready for the 800th anniversary of Dresden in 2006 • 10 Nov 2006: Opening FP144234 © Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

Cost • EUR 85 million budget for membrane roof • EUR 55 million budget for reception building

FP144235 © Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

FP144237 © Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

Cross Section 2 FP228414 © Foster + Partners

Credits

Client Deutsche Bahn AG Station & Service Architect Foster + Partners Norman Foster Spencer de Grey Christian Hallmann Stanley Fuls Florian Boxberg Patricia Fairclough Anja Flesh Felix Forthmeyer Christina Gresser Klaus Heldwein Tom Mival Yohko Mizushima Virginie Mommens Uwe Nienstedt Sven Ollmann John Prevc Michael Richter Axel Rostock Diana Schaffranek Marc Schwabedissen Bernd Treide Inge Tümmers

Structural Engineer • Buro Happold (Membrane Roof) • Schmitt Stumpf Frühauf & Partner (Existing Building) Mechanical & Electrical Engineer • Schmidt Reuter & Partner (Membrane Roof) • Zibell Willner & Partner (Reception Building)

FP146507 © Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

Cost Consultant • BAL GmbH • Schmitt Stumpf Frühauf & Partner Project Management • AYH Homola GmbH & Co KG (Membrane Roof) • Kaiser Baucontroll (Reception Building)

FP144227 © Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

Historic Buildings Advisor adb Lighting Consultants Speirs and Major Associates

FP144225 © Nigel Young/Foster + Partners

Roof Plan FP228421 © Foster + Partners

East Elevation FP228415 © Foster + Partners

FP146477 © Foster + Partners