Germany's Newest Transportation Pavilion Features Dynamic Roof

Written by Lindsey Leardi

J. MAYER H., in partnership with Architekten, celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for their competition-winning Pavillon am Ring Project in Freiburg, Germany. Located at the edge of Freiburg’s historic district, this new tram stop will feature a café and dynamic roof structure.

Combined with the existing inner-city square and Siegesdenkmal (“victory monument”), the tram stop will add to Freiburg’s compelling entry to the historic neighborhood. The tram stop will be contrasting to its context, giving it a powerful form and leaving a lasting impression with citizens and visitors of the city alike. On a historically triangular site, the pavilion's curvaceous roof will seemingly float atop a circular building. The roof's design will create engaging spaces for people to wait for the tram and meet their visitors.

Today we are celebrating the ground breaking ceremony for the Pavillon am Ring Project in Freiburg together with the architects of J. Mayer H. and the city’s mayor. Our structural and fire engineers designed an elegant, yet economical, structure that reflects the original design intention to create a series of leaf shaped roofs covering the new public areas. The pavilion forms the centrepiece of the remodelling of one of Freiburg’s main tram interchanges, opening up an intersection with heavy traffic to form a new public square and interchange. 📷J.MAYER.H und Partner, Architekten mbB . . #transport #interchange #engineering #design #architecture #publicspace #germany

A post shared by BuroHappold Engineering (@burohappoldengineering) on Oct 18, 2017 at 6:57am PDT

The pavilion can be partially prefabricated. Lightweight and sustainable, the tram stop pavilion will have a steel structure which supports a somewhat slant wooden roof. Reinforced concrete walls embrace the café, while filigree supports hold up the roof.

Freiburg residents and visitors are expected to be able to enjoy a coffee while waiting for the tram at Pavillon am Ring as soon as construction is completed in 2018.