Broer Schipper
Complex Projects
Night Train Hub Berlin: The design of a station made for a future of European night train travel
Night train hub Berlin is a station specifically designed for night train travel. In this future scenario, long-distance travel is done by night trains as a sustainable way of travelling. A separate night train station is necessary because of overlapping rush hours with commuter trains. To convince travellers to travel sustainably, comfort is important. The design tries to balance comfort on one hand and sustainability on the other hand. Comfort is integrated into the design of the station through the programme, materialisation and the architectural theme of light. The latter gained focus because of the around-the-clock usage of the building.
The night train hub is located in the currently underutilised East-Berlin station, Berlin Lichtenberg. The design encompasses a lounge, a capsule hotel, multiple restaurants, a newly designed public square and adjustable skylights. These elements are all integrated into one building, with a grand station hall at the centre.