Tram Station Roof

In 2017, J. Mayer H. Architects won the architectural competition to design the ‘Rathausplatz’ (town hall square) in Kehl, Germany. Oval discs of reinforced concrete, symbolizing Rhine pebbles, draw into focus the close connection between the cities of Strasbourg and Kehl.
Two reinforced concrete roofs seem to each balance on two “pebbles.” A large emphasis was put into the connection between the load-bearing reinforced concrete “pebbles” and the slabs being as slim as possible, creating a sense of lightness despite their strong contours.
The decisive, yet hidden feature is the inner tubular steel construction, which is rigidly integrated into the roof structure by means of welded brackets and reinforcement bars. It is also an efficient solution for internal drainage.

The free formed exposed concrete ”pebbles” and benches were prefabricated in order to achieve a high visual and technical quality. Due to their size and the simplified geometry, the roofs were constructed from in-situ concrete.