Herzog & de Meuron
Project
1989
Realization
1991-1995

As part of an overall renovation program for Basel’s main station, the new railway engine depot and signal box were part of a first construction phase. Situated on a triangular junction of numerous tracks, the configuration of the depot and workshop sheds express the tight functional displacement of the volumes. This was the starting point of the design.

The structural system generated from this series of linear buildings is one of cast in-situ reinforced concrete walls with a roof structure of deep, one-storey high square-section steel girders. This roof structure allows for sky lighting to the deep plan space. The girders support a series of quasi-tensile membranes that are covered by grass, protecting the membrane and acting as an ideal insulator for both summer and winter climatic conditions. To the south end of the plan there is a three-storey office block which spans across four girders of varying widths.

Herzog & de Meuron, 1995

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048_CP_9603_700_MS
048_CP_9603_702_MS
048_CP_9603_702_MS

Process

Earlier ideas took into consideration the old buildings on the grounds. Numerous changes are referred to in the text as a multitude of materials; the drawing shows that parts of the window openings in the concrete walls were supposed to have been filled with masonry. The front of the engine depot shows a similarity to the serial structure of the tracks. The grounds with the old sheds used to be a no-mans-land in the midst of Basel before the commencement of work.

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048_SI_9201_500
048_SI_9201_501
048_SI_9201_501

Earlier models combined saddle and flat roofs. The facilities at the flanks for use by third parties, for which bridge arms were at first considered, were abandoned due to a redimensioning.

048_MO_8901_500
048_MO_8901_500
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048_MO_8901_504
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048_MO_8901_505
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048_MO_8901_506
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048_MO_8901_503
048_MO_8901_507
048_MO_8901_507
048_MO_9301_700_HS
048_MO_9301_700_HS
048_CP_9603_716_MS
048_CP_9603_716_MS
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048_CP_9603_718_MS
048_CP_9603_718_MS
048_CP_9603_702_MS
048_CP_9603_702_MS
048_CP_9603_720_MS
048_CP_9603_720_MS
048_CP_9603_721_MS
048_CP_9603_721_MS

Drawings

048_DR_8901_500
048_DR_8901_500
048_DT_9310_500
048_DT_9310_500
048_DR_9804_502
048_DR_9804_502
048_DR_9804_503
048_DR_9804_503
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048_DR_9804_504
048_DR_9804_500_plans
048_DR_9804_500_plans

Team

Facts

Client
Schweizerische Bundesbahnen – Hochbau Kreis II
Planning
General Planning: Proplaning. AG, Basel, Switzerland
Construction Management: Burckhardt & Partner, Basel, Switzerland
General Contractor: Arge GU Marti AG, Basel, Switzerland
Electrical Planning: Selmoni AG, Basel, Switzerland
Sanitary Planning: Balduin Weisser AG, Basel, Switzerland
HVAC (Climate Control Design): Sulzer Energieconsulting AG, Liestal, Switzerland
Structural Engineering: Proplaning. AG, Basel, Switzerland
Specialist / Consulting
Steel Constructions: Jakem AG, MĂĽnchwilen, Switzerland
Building Data
Site Area: 175'559 sqft, 16'310 sqm
Gross floor area (GFA): 264'253 sqft, 24'550 sqm

Bibliography

Gerhard Mack, Herzog & de Meuron: “Herzog & de Meuron 1989-1991. The Complete Works. Volume 2.” Edited by: Gerhard Mack. Chinese ed. Beijing, China Architecture & Building Press, 2010. Vol. No. 2.

Luis Fernández-Galiano (Ed.): “Arquitectura Viva. Herzog & de Meuron 1978-2007.” 2nd rev. ed. Madrid, Arquitectura Viva, 2007.

Fernando Márquez Cecilia, Richard Levene (Eds.): “El Croquis. Herzog & de Meuron 1981-2000. Between the Face and the Landscape. The Cunning of Cosmetics. Entre el Rostro y el Paisaje. La Astucia de la CosmĂ©tica.” 2nd adv. and rev. ed. Vol. No. 60+84, Madrid, El Croquis, 2005.

Nobuyuki Yoshida (Ed.): “Architecture and Urbanism. Herzog & de Meuron 1978-2002.” Tokyo, A+U Publishing Co., Ltd., 02.2002.

Gerhard Mack, Herzog & de Meuron: “Herzog & de Meuron 1989-1991. Das Gesamtwerk. Band 2. The Complete Works. Volume 2.” Edited by: Gerhard Mack. Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 1996. Vol. No. 2. 2nd adv. and rev. ed. Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 2005.

Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron: “Proyecto de Depósito de Trenes. Proyecto para el Schwarz Park. Proyecto para la Diagonal. Project for a Train Depot. Project for Schwarz Park. Project for the Diagonal.”
In: Josep LluĂ­s Mateo (Ed.). Quaderns d’Arquitectura i Urbanisme. Ciudad y Proyecto. City and Project. Vol. No. 183, Barcelona, Colegio de Arquitectos de Cataluña. Association of Catalan Architects, 12.1989. pp. 116-121.