Dutch studios Benthem Crouwel Architekten and West 8 have won the competition to design a new central railway station for Brno, in what was the largest architectural competition in the history of the Czech Republic.
The joint project was selected by the City of Brno out of 46 initial applications and a shortlist of twelve from such studios as BIG, Diller Scofidio Renfro, OMA, Snøhetta and Ingenhoven. The new Brno hlavní nádraží station, on the banks of the river Svratka, will take over from the existing station on the edge of the city's historic quarter, which was built in 1838 and is one of the oldest in the world. According to the jury, the winning design for the intermodal transport hub is sensitive to the historic public buildings in the area and features high quality public space.
It will include 14 platforms for high-speed and local trains, trams and city buses, as well as a regional bus station with 40 stops, a metro station, and bicycle and car parking. The station building will also offer retail and F&B. The design also includes an urban development with offices, housing, a hotel as well as public space including a waterfront park and urban promenade The construction budget for the project comes to EUR 1.8 bln, with the station expected to be completed between 2032 and 2035.
Benthem Crouwel has already designed such transit hubs as Amsterdam central railway and metro station, four Paris metro stations, and the masterplan for the Silicon Valley Diridon station. West 8’s experience includes Madrid RIO, Schiphol Airport, Governors Island in New York and the Toronto Waterfront.
