New train station: How the Salzburg Mirabellplatz should look in the future
With the construction of the S-Link, a new bus and train stop will be created in the city center. A Salzburg resident won the architectural competition.
Mirabellplatz in the center of the city of Salzburg is to be transformed into a major construction site from 2023. Then the beginning of the first stage for the extension of the local railway from the main station to Hallein is planned. The planning company announced the winner of the architectural competition for the redesign of the square on Monday morning. The plans come from the architects’ office Dunkelschwarz from the city of Salzburg, which also won the competition for the redesign of the Schafbergbahn valley station.
Two-storey station concourse
“The canopies of the bus stops are designed as delicate roof elements with a narrow edge and a slightly dynamic soffit in order to create space-defining structures, rather than floating figures made of shimmering metal and provide a view of the entire Mirabellplatz,” explains architect Michael Höcketstaller from dark black the plans.
A long ribbon of glass blocks in the pavement leads to the exits and brings daylight into the two-storey station hall, while sunspots associated a visual connection with the outside space underground. Above the platform level there is a pedestrian level with shops, information booth and ticketing, connecting all entrances and exits. “On the opposite side there is a two-storey shotcrete wall, which makes the structural issues of civil engineering tangible and indirectly illuminates the entire station hall through the incident daylight.”
Plans selected unanimously by the jury
The plans were unanimously selected by the jury. It was chaired by Stefan Marte from the Vorarlberg architects’ office Marte.Marte, which won the architectural competition for the redesign of Hitler’s birthplace. “The winning project with its powerful design language and yet very restrained design language is a convincing answer to the sensible urban situation at Mirabellplatz. The functional requirements of the S-Link project are implemented in the best possible way on all levels with clear spatial structures and clear routes,” said plans for Mirabellplatz . With the design, a “coherent overall work with an identity-creating effect succeeded”.
“Strong Sign”
Stefan Knittel, managing director of the S-Link planning company, is very satisfied with the plans. “Apart from the creative implementation, the well thought-out routes for pedestrians and cyclists as well as the consideration for possible extensions were particularly outstanding.” Mayor Harald Preuner (ÖVP) praised the plans as “a positive, friendly, appealing and unique one-off implementation for the cityscape”. For Transport State Councilor Stefan Schnöll (ÖVP) the new design is “a strong sign that we are working hard and energetically on the implementation of the S-Link and that we focus on quality and functionality”. The design is decisive for further stops on the route.
Another timetable
The project company will hold an initial information event on the route from the local train station to Mirabellplatz for residents and interested parties in late autumn. The specific date and the venue are still open. The submission of the documents for the environmental impact assessment is planned for the beginning of 2022.