AARAU

BDESKTOP
US TERMINAL
STUDY

SITE LOCATION
Banhofplatz, CH-5000 Aarau,
Germany

AARAU BUS TERMINAL

Project Details :
Architects:
Vehovar & Jauslin
Architecture
Project:Bus Station Canopy
Location:Aarau,
Switzerland
Design & Planning:2004
2012

Construction:20112014
General Planning, Civil Engineering: suiseplan Ingenieure ,

Area:8,806 m
Aarau.
Structural Engineering for Roof :formTL ingenieure
Lighting Design:Atelier Derrer, Zurich
Pattern Design:Vehovar & Jauslin Architecture, Zurich, Paolo

OVER VIEW
Aarau serves as a point of
departure, arrival and transfer for
more than 20,000 train and bus
travelers every day as it is a
central public transport hub for
the entire region.
Due to assorted small structures,
street furniture, art objects and
planters that had gathered over
time, the station forecourt was
barely still perceived as a public
open space.
Bahnhofstresse, the street
leading to the train station, was a
spatially dominated by car traffic,
thus cutting the space off from the
surroundings, and constructed a
bus terminal with optimized public
access.
After lengthy preparatory work

Tidying up Traffic
A central bus station on the forecourt now concentrates all the buses, as
a result, it was possible to reconfigure the traffic situation in the
immediate environs.
It has no longer cuts through the square in front of the station, thus
enabling a spacious and orderly urban space.
Together with the Aarau general planner suisseplan AG, Vehovar &
Jauslin has drawn up a project that essentially consists of four areas: the
underground Einstein Passage, the adjacent Hachler Hall, the train
station forecourt and the bus station with its impressive canopy.

Bus terminal
The image of the new
station forecourt is
unquestionably defined by
the roof over the actual
bus terminal, a canopy
that the locals already
affectionately call the
cloud.
Its organic shape with a
clear view to the sky at its
center to welcome
travelers in a friendly and
bright environment.
To create a spatial
atmosphere under the roof
that resembles a clearing
in the woods & to greet
the passengers in a bright
and friendly environment,
a very light, diaphanous

Einstein Passage
Fresh materials are used for the
construction which feels safe and
comfortable for the numerous
commuters and passers-by, despite
insufficient daylight.
The highlight of the new Einstein
Passage is surely the interactive light
installation Gravity, which the
architects developed together with
lighting designer Rolf Derrer.
The underpass is illuminated by
continually changing colorful letters
and multilayered patterns with
special sensors for movements of the
pedestrians, enabling the light show
to change, depending on the season,
weather and time of day.
It creates a surprising appearance
every time as it accompanies the

Hachler Hall
The restoration carried out within the
existing spatial proportions
transformed the hall into a pleasant
and attractive passageway.
Pairs of new columns were structurally
designed & benches that are clad in
warm red.
General planner Markus Golden berger
from suisse plan explains that
emphasis was placed on creating a
high-quality impression using
affordable materials.
The closely spaced round light fixtures
within space represents more the
character of a lobby than that of an
underpass.

The Station Forecourt

An urban outdoor space nearly
doubled in size, is now
commensurate to its
significance within the city.
The paving is as uniform and
accessible as possible in order
to fulfill the diverse
requirements for a wellmaintained and friendly station
square.
The necessary furnishings with
seating elements which are
highlighted at night with
energy-saving LED lighting.
The red, tulip-shaped seating
elements are like refreshing
bouquets of flowers that confer
a feeling of spring even in cold

Design criteria
Mateja Vehovar and Stefan Jauslin
have designed a bus station canopy
which looks as light as a feather,
with the idea of creating a heaven
of calm.
This has created a welcoming zone
for commuters transferring
between the Swiss Federal Railways
and Aarau's regional buses
As a part of construction the station
forecourt and bus station have
been given a new face. existing
fixtures have been removed so that
the bus stops can be
accommodated within the open
space

Infrastructur
e

A canopy with air cushion

shaped membrane is an
organically shaped opening in
the centre, intensifies the
impression of lightness and the
feeling of being out in the open
and to protected from the
elements.
It has been encouraged by a
series of strategic decisions: the
use of a translucent membrane,
both clear and blue-dyed, with a
finely balanced print (by Stefan
Jauslin with Paolo Monaco).
the supports with their slight
slant towards one axis which
disappear into the cushion and
carry the "cloud", the varying
distances between the
membranes and the support
structure inside. This cloud

Infrastructur
e

A technical infrastructure fully integrated into the steel construction

carrying water, air, electrical and sensor technology, as well as the
irregular network of stainless steel cables below the cushion which is
designed to give the membrane the required span.
They provide the numerous reflections and plays of light on the
membrane skin, triggered by the linear luminaries arranged in line with
the supports.
The internal supporting structure is faintly discernible.
Viewed obliquely, the supports fade into the background and the
canopy gains volume.

Infrastructur
e
By fastening the three-part upper
and lower membranes to the
curved outside tubing separately,
it was possible to achieve the
simple and structurally clean
detailing of the cloud.
With 1070 m of covered area and
a volume of 1810 m, the roof of
the bus station is the world's
largest single-chamber membrane
air cushion.
Four 120-metre long polyethylene
tubes under the road supply the
pneumatic air cushion with recirculated clean, dry air, and
another four tubes take the air
back to the air control unit.

Infrastructur
e

Depending on the weather, the entire

system comprising support air
system, tubing and membrane
cushion is maintained by sensors at
300 - 850 pascals. both the cushion
and the tubing are more or less
airtight, the roof is highly economical
to operate.
The worlds largest membrane air
cushion represents a unique mixture
of functional, advanced technology .
It is more than just a mere bus
terminal, it is functional art in urban
space a landmark for Aarau.

Floor plan

Structural
plan

Elevations