Images courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architect

Since the Hungerburgbahn was built ten years ago by Zaha Hadid Architects’, the expansive architectural shelter has become an integral part of the vibrant city of Innsbruck, Austria.

The glacial-inspired stations have played not only a major role in offering passage for travellers and passengers, making transits between the connecting stations from the downtown Innsbruck to the Norkette Mountain to Hungerburg, but also is symbolic to the city’s alpine character.

Ten years later, the stations continue to attract visitors from all around the world. Today, Innsbruck will be celebrating 10th anniversary of the Hungerburgbahn with events running throughout the winter with architectural tours included.

Hungerburgbahn in Innsbruck

All four stations fashion curvilinear geometries characteristic of Zaha Hadid Architects. Each form has been designed and customised to fit each site’s unique context, topography, altitude, and passenger circulation. Perhaps, the station’s most distinctive feature is the roof, portraying the gorgeous landscape meant to echo the natural ice formations of the alps. While simultaneously being reflections of the passenger circulation underneath.

Jaw-Dropping Station Design

Together with the contractor Strabag, Zaha Hadid Architects won the competition to build the Hungerburgbahn in 2005. Since its completion, the stations became widely known as the world’s largest structures made of double-curved glass. The project was soon shortlisted for the Stirling Prize by the Royal Institue of British Architects in 2008.

Since December 2007, over 4.5 million passengers have made more than 8 million journeys on the funicular railway between the centre of Innsbruck up the Nordkette mountain to Hungerburg.

In 2017 alone, over 600,000 passengers made 2.1 million journeys on the railway and used its four stations designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA).