After the reunification of Germany and in particular Berlin, a new central railway station became necessary in Berlin, as the respective eastern and western main railway stations would not suffice the demands of traffic and prestige.
It has been built on the site of the former Lehrter Bahnhof, using a design by architect Meinhard von Gerkan.
The tracks run on two different levels, meeting at a right angle. The top level has a spectacular glass roof:
The inside is less confusing as one might expect. The open architecture allows quick orientation. Also, different functional components are clearly differentiated in the architecture, giving each area its own distinctive feel.
The elevators are both integrated and easily recognizable. This is function and form in perfect harmony.
I imagine that the nameless city in which Kazuo Ishiguro’s masterpiece The Unconsoled takes place would be full of buildings like the Hauptbahnhof. One can almost hear Mullery’s Verticality while moving through its vast, treeless spaces.
The Inner Frame 