Funicular Shell Station

Integrated Project
Stuttgart is a small centre of mobility. In the region was not only developed the automobile, but the special high altitude of the Stuttgart area offer an exciting location for the development of a cable car station. A way of transport for the future and a real innovation in public transport for the area of Stuttgart.
Our goal was to develop a cablecar that doesn't only represent a new way of transport, but also shows the possibilities which were able to achieve when generating a form using natural inspired physics.
In order to combine architecture and sustainability, the goal is not only to be particularly economical with resources, but also use and reuse the potential of what is available.

This Project was made in Cooperation with David Bijelonjić, Felix Homola, Franz Reiner and Eric Zimmermann

The shell shape was generated with the help of the Rhino3d plugin "Rhino Vault 2". RhinoVAULT offers an intuitive form-finding option for shells and vaults. This is based on the methods of "Funicular Form Finding" and uses the tools of graphic statics.
In this way a three-dimensional, releasable solution is generated. The plug-in strives for an optimized distribution of forces, with the help of the user's given rules. Through the subsequent analysis of the shapes, knowledge about the forces occurring can be gathered and dimensioning can be carried out in the next step.
The finished shell blends in with the terrain and creates an optimal staging of the cable car gondolas thanks to the deep inner support points.
The building technologies where also a big part of the planing process. By modeling all ducts and pipes of the ventilation system and the heating system using Grasshopper, we were able to not only see how everything is coming together but also understand the function of the system.
With the help of geothermal probes, geothermal energy is used at the location to heat the building and use resources sustainably. The advantages are the very low heating costs due to the integration of free environmental energy and conserves fossil fuels.
The building is mainly made of concrete. Through the choice made to use reinforced concrete and to combine architecture and sustainability through awareness, the goal is not only to be particularly economical with resources, but also to use and reuse the potential of what is available.
The shell has to meet special requirements, but by using an optimized distribution of forces, we were able to make it as thin as possible in order to save resources.
The development of an adapted ropeway technology enables a widening of the orbit. In this way, the gondolas can be optimally staged and create a special quality in the courtyard.