Competition
Preisgruppe / West Station Forecourt
After revision: 3rd place
Client
Building Authority City of Augsburg
Landscape architects
silands | Gresz + Kaiser Landscape Architects
Prof Bü Prechter Landscape Architect
Architects
LIMA architects | Lisa Bogner and Tobias Manzke
Period
2015
Project Team DAY & LIGHT
Frank Vetter
Lighting concept The redesign of the forecourts and surroundings of Augsburg main train station is characterised by a carefully coordinated lighting concept that significantly enhances orientation, safety, and quality of stay during evening and night hours. The interplay of the East Forecourt, Bahnhofstraße, and West Forecourt creates a cohesive visual picture of light, highlighting the station's urban significance as a gateway to the city.
The clear design of the space is the focus of the Vorplatz Ost. The edges of the space are deliberately accentuated, ensuring the geometry of the plaza remains easily legible even in darkness. The façade of the reception building is accentuated with lighting, forming a striking focal point and orientation point along the sightline of Bahnhofstraße. In addition, dedicated light stelae are used to support the identity of the plaza, while their restrained form subordinates them to the architecture. Partially illuminated trees create a multi-layered play of light and shadow, enlivening the plaza. The fountain receives accent lighting, thus making it experienceable as a meeting point and the centre of the plaza. At the crossing points, the light stelae on both sides of the zebra crossing form a portal that reinforces wayfinding and clearly marks the connection between the station and the urban space.
Bahnhofstraße, as the central artery between the city centre and the railway station, is illuminated with cable-hung lamps, ensuring the streetscape remains free of light poles. This provides uniform, calm illumination for the road and pavements, enhancing visibility. The additional lighting of the trees creates a playful rhythm of light and shadow, establishing pleasant zones for spending time beneath their canopies. Significant facades, the fountain, and the water feature are also accentuated. This subtly highlights architectural features and urban focal points without competing with the general lighting. Consequently, Bahnhofstraße is perceived not merely as a functional traffic route, but as an evening urban space with its own identity-creating atmosphere.
The West forecourt will feature a sophisticated, dynamic lighting scheme that complements its more open, landscape design. Freely positioned poles with individually adjustable spotlights will allow for precise illumination of different functional zones. Tree groups will be highlighted with ground-recessed lights, creating depth and spatial definition. The embankment will be brightly lit, and the planting will be artfully showcased, resulting in a clearly structured yet atmospheric public space.
A central element is the backlit glass cladding on the wall surface facing the pedestrian tunnel. It creates a bright, inviting spatial impression and intuitively leads to the tunnel. At the same time, it establishes a thematic link to the station structure and further on to the Königsplatz: the tunnel is experienced as part of a continuously designed urban space. A subtle red light line in the floor marks the path and provides a delicate separation between the pedestrian walkway and the tram line, without creating barriers. This enhances safety and orientation while preserving the openness of the square.
Overall, the lighting concept creates a coherent nighttime image of Augsburg Central Station, which equally supports arrival, connections, and lingering, and stages the station as a striking city entrance.
