A new high speed rail project linking Stuttgart and Ulm has been given the go ahead. Dubbed ‘Stuttgart 21’ the project will see the rebuilding of Stuttgart station with lines underground. Currently a terminus, the new station will have through lines and a direct connection to the airport and exhibition centre along a 30 km new line to Wendlingen. The 58km high speed rail line will stretch from Ulm to Wendlingen reducing journey times between Ulm on the Danube and the capital of Baden-Wurttemberg from one hour to 28 minutes. Building work is scheduled to start in 2010.
Stuttgart 21 is a German rail project to build a new underground through station for Stuttgart, crossing the southern end of the current Stuttgart central station at right-angles to existing platforms. The terminating platforms of today’s station would be demolished and redeveloped; the main station building would be retained. The ‘Stuttgart 21’ concept will transform Stuttgart’s nineteen century style main station into a modern transit-hub. The station will be turned ninety degrees and the rail infrastructure is integrated underground. The enormous rail yards move out and are recycled into a high quality mixed-use urban area.
One of the essential parts of this project is its concrete deck, developed by Ingenhoven in collaboration with Fred Otto and other structural engineers. The station has a length of 420 m, a width of 80 m and a height of 12 m. the need for steel as support is minimal. Another object of the project is to reduce the amount of material used.
