It was the most derided project in Europe and often considered a "disgrace" to Germany's legendary efficiency. The new Berlin Brandenburg International airport (BBI) took fourteen years to get off the ground - notwithstanding ten years of advance planning! Well, the Stuttgart 21 will certainly set a new record between planning and implementation... The project, approved in 1997will 25 years old to emerge from the ground. The opening of the new railway line between Stuttgart and Ulm is scheduled for December 2022, while the Stuttgart's new central station is due to open in 2025. In total, almost 12 billion 8.2 billion will have been injected into the project in the Stuttgart area alone.
In fact, the Stuttgart 21 project had several aims. The first was political and economic. The opening up of Central Europe and Berlin's growing importance as the capital of a reunited Germany shifted the focus to the north-east of Germany. Local councillors feared the marginalisation of the Stuttgart region and the south-west of the country.
The Stuttgart 21 project combines a new underground central station in the city, a real rail hub, with a new route linking Stuttgart to Ulm in 30 minutes by train instead of an hour. The benefit? Stuttgart finds itself at the heart of a 1,500 km east-west rail link that runs from Paris to Budapest in one go. And the journey time will be dramatically reduced: the journey from Stuttgart to Munich, for example, will be cut from 2 hours 25 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes. In the future, high-speed trains will be able to reach the following destinations from Paris Munich in less than five hours, compared with 5 hours 40 minutes at present.
But elevating Stuttgart to the rank of European rail hub is in fact a titanic project. After all, the city's main station is a terminus. " This means that all trains arriving from the west and continuing eastwards would have to manoeuvre towards a dead-end track in order to leave. It has been calculated that a train loses an average of 8 minutes waiting to access the platforms at the current station. "says David Bösinger, press officer for the project.
A structuring project for Stuttgart city centre
Stuttgart's main station is to go underground to allow trains to travel the east-west axis in one go. The iconic above-ground station, built in 1928 and famous for its art deco belfry, is being restored and will serve as a reception area and entrance to the underground station. Part of the building will also house a luxury hotel. The underground station will be just as spectacular. " We have created a station where light will flood the platforms and the concourse with 28 spinning top pillars. Designed as shafts of light, they will be scattered over 1,000 m². A unique architectural structure that is also a real technological challenge. "says David Bösinger.
one of Europe's largest eco-neighbourhoods
However, the new station project has provoked a number of protests from the local population, particularly environmentalists. Opposition that many now see as more political posturing than common sense. " The project will in fact transform Stuttgart's city centre into a greener place. There will in fact be an extension of the city's parks, as the surface railway lines will disappear. Instead, one of Europe's largest eco-neighbourhoods will be built, including new green spaces. As for the station, its new structure will be self-heating, with the pillars regulating the temperature naturally and keeping it warm or cool depending on the season. "says the DB spokesman.
Stuttgart is also taking advantage of the opportunity to redevelop its city centre. " Many areas will be completely pedestrianised, with direct access to the hotels in just a few minutes' walk. There are also plans for a convention centre in the longer term. "says an enthusiastic Armin Dellnitz from the tourist office.
The airport becomes an air/rail hub
The project Stuttgart 21 has other implications outside the city centre. The huge 9 km tunnel running through the city will reduce the journey time by regional train (S-Bahn) from 23 minutes to 8 minutes between the centre of the metropolis and the airport/exhibition centre.
A new station is being built between the exhibition centre and the terminal, which will also enable air passengers to continue their journey by train to destinations throughout Germany, Switzerland and Alsace. " Stuttgart airport will thus become a new air/rail hub for the whole of the south of the country and should also encourage trade fair activitylocated right next to the airport "says Armin Dellnitz.
More than 25 years of planning and construction? " In the end, it's not that long for a project of this scale. project of the century "Christoph Ingenhoven, an architect from Stuttgart 21, wrote philosophically in a magazine...
