Exhibition showcases innovative approach for new Czech transport hub

The design by Tenderstream member Benthem Crouwel and West 8 for Brno Main Station is currently on display at Prague Central Station, as part of an exhibition that showcases an innovative approach and detailed vision for the future of Brno's railway infrastructure. Benthem Crouwel and West 8 created a design for the multimodal hub alongside an urban realm and adjacent station quarter, fully integrating historic public buildings with a modern transport facility.

The scheme - which won a contest published by Tendestream in 2020 -  includes 14 platforms for highspeed and local trains, trams and city buses, alongside offices, housing, hotels, and a waterfront park with urban promenade. The competition jury were impressed by the design’s integration of the cultural heritage of Brno with a new public welcome hall, while the location as a whole is marked by two diagonally positioned towers that situate the new station’s position within the city's skyline. An elegant, convex glass canopy over the train platforms and bus station not only shelters passengers from rain or harsh sunshine, but simultaneously collects enough solar energy to create a net-positive station. 

From the platform, a first glimpse of Brno’s cathedral is offered through the monumental arches of the station building. Passengers are guided through the central concourse towards a pedestrian promenade which connects the station, waterfront park and new urban development to the city fabric. A generous boulevard aligned with city blocks and workspaces follows the station to the river, where, under the railway bridge, the Svratka waterfront park continues. Pascal Cornips, partner at Benthem Crouwel, stated: "The new Brno main station is both grand and human, monumental and tangible. Our design combines a straightforward, yet very comfortable platform canopy with a sensational station building."

With a construction budget of €1.8bn, the station is planned for completion between 2032 and 2035.

Lucy Nordberg
Tenderstream Head of Research

This tender was first published by Tenderstream on 04.09.2020 here

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