..News ..Portfolio ..Exhibitions ..Publications ..Firm ..Contact	The ICE Train Station in Cologne, Germany 2000, invited competition The Concept: The site for the new ICE train station in Cologne is situated in a very sensible area of the town. The quarter, limited on one side by the river, is cut in two by massive railway-buildings. The big scale fair-halls prevents any permeability. The small scale of the old part of ‘Deutz’ stands in a strong contrast to the halls and traffic-buildings. The mission of the new project is consequently to build a connection over the barrier of the railway – both in the sense of physical as of visual connections – and to introduce a new element that is suited to connect the contrasting elements of the quarter. Horizon and Skyline: The huge membrane roof extends softly over the rail junction. The free flowing movement creates a new horizon. The silhouette of the five towers in the inner area loom over this artificial horizon, and become a skyline. The Station: A new level is built over the existing station to take up the huge flows of passengers between the different platforms of the two stations lying over each other – ‘Deutz-Hoch’ and ‘Deutz-Tief’. This new distribution level connects the station with the old town, the Cologne Fair, the public traffic and the ‘Köln Arena’. It functions also as a link to the new office and hotel towers and the new park between them. The new station building functions as a big weather protection that allows the passengers, the visitors of the fairs and all people from Cologne to promenade, shop, eat or make fitness training – or simply get on the train with the vista of the dome and the old town. Back to Portfolio