Nordpark Cable Railway

The project consists of four stations along the cable railway tracks leading up to Innsbruck's northern chain of mountains. Each station has its own context and topography, and adaptation to these specific site conditions at various altitudes while articulating a coherent overall architectural language was the basis for the design. Two contrasting elements: 'Shell & Shadow' generate each station's spatial quality. Lightweight organic roof structures of double-curvature glass float on top of concrete plinths, creating an artificial landscape that functions as a relief in which various movements and circulation are inscribed. The fluid shapes and soft contours of the roof shells recall natural phenomena such as glacier movements and the large cantilevers with touch down points underline their floating appearance. A precise translation of the computer generated design was achieved through the use of new technologies such as CNC milling and thermoforming design, and manufacturing technologies developed for the automotive industry were used to create the streamline aesthetics of each station.