Project Description
Overview
Berlin Hauptbahnof is the main railway station in Berlin, Germany, and is one of the largest and most modern railway hubs in Europe serving over 350,000 passengers daily. The station was built on the historical site of the Lehrter Bahnof, one of Germany’s earliest and most important train stations, with work beginning in 1996 and completing in 2006. Planning and design for the station was led by gmp Architects, with acoustic consulting and audio systems design by WSDG.
Program
The goals of the WSDG design team were to ensure exemplary acoustics throughout the facility and excellent audibility and clarity for the station announcement systems.
Design
The WSDG design team used simulation calculations to investigate the sound systems and evaluate the transmission quality according to meet the standards of DB AG, the leading railway company in Germany. The team recommended a decentralized system with ceiling loudspeakers integrated into the light strips for the majority of the station. Additional loudspeakers with adjustable signal processing were employed in the aboveground station, which is featuring a dominating steel and glass impressive architecture, to cover the traffic areas and the platforms.