LAVA proposed an alternative to the city’s Stuttgart 21 project, which planned to replace the existing inter-city terminal with a costly underground through-station. LAVA's Stuttgart 22 concept aimed to reuse the existing rail infrastructure while dissolving the barrier created by the railway tracks.
It comprised an intercity rail station, office and residential development, solar tower, with public green space. By meshing train-station with landscape, public-park, and urban city-centre, the heart of Stuttgart is opened up to 200,000 square metres of additional development opportunity.
Diverting costs away from the expensive underground station enabled funds to be re-invested in sustainable energy technology. With a vast solar-harvesting capacity and a landmark 200m solar chimney tower capable of generating enough electricity for the entire development, the Stuttgart 22 concept is a carbon-neutral urban design.
