Competition win: cable car stations in Koblenz

Snøhetta has won the competition for the new stations of the city cable car in the German city of Koblenz. The location in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley requires particular sensitivity. As contemporary statements the expressive stations blend respectfully into the historical context.

Since 2011, a cable car has connected the city centre of Koblenz with Ehrenbreitstein Fortress on the other side of the Rhine. Originally planned as a temporary structure for the Federal Horticultural Show, the intention has since become to operate the popular, environmentally friendly means of transport on a permanent basis. The location in a sensitive historical context and technical requirements made a redesign of the stations necessary. In the architectural competition organised by the cable car operator, Snøhetta won with the proposal of sculptural forms for the valley and mountain stations, which form a “cohesive pair” and react sensitively to the respective context.