Unchartered Waters for Engineers and Contractors Alike: Stuttgart's New Main Station and its Complex Geometry
As part of the Stuttgart–Ulm railway project, Stuttgart Central Station is currently being completely refurbished and rebuilt. The old terminus station will be replaced by an underground through station. The so‐called “Kelchstützen” (chalice‐shaped columns) are a significant design element of the new underground station. These columns not only support the shell roof, but also provide natural lighting and ventilation for the interior. The present article describes the form finding and calculation of these unique geometries and explains how a technically and economically sustainable implementation was made possible by the structural engineers.