Improving the state of infrastructure in Germany is currently at the heart of public debate. At the same time, the proclaimed mobility revolution is undergoing numerous technological changes. Simultaneously, the needs of users are increasing and diversifying. Therefore, it is crucial that architects, as design experts, guide these processes.
Gruber+Popp work precisely at this intersection. The firm understands public transport buildings not merely as functional structures, but as public and social spaces that require careful design. Their exhibition demonstrates that robustness, easy orientation, and a sense of security can coexist with a high quality of experience.
In their exhibition, Gruber+Popp explore different approaches using six projects as examples: In the new “Campus Martinsried” subway station in Munich, striking skylights connect the station spatially and visually with the bus station and the LMU research campus. With the aim of creating a design that reflects the location and its history, a striking ceiling made of backlit perforated metal sheeting was developed for the new “Hagenbecks Tierpark” subway station in Hamburg. The renovation of the “Eisenacher Straße” subway station in Berlin, on the other hand, focuses on revitalizing existing spaces while adhering to historic preservation guidelines. Using the tram stop at Berlin’s main train station as a case study, the architectural resilience of the station is being examined after ten years of use and more than 35 million passengers. In the “Model Stations in Dortmund” competition, which Gruber+Popp won in 2025, they demonstrate how wood, a material previously uncommon in transportation structures, can be used modularly.
Gruber+Popp Architects BDA was founded in 1992 by Doris Gruber and Bernhard Popp and has been based in Berlin since 1993. Among their most important projects are the “Campus Reuter” (2025), the “Betonoase” youth center in Berlin (2018), and the tram stop at Berlin Central Station (2015). Currently, in addition to the projects shown in the exhibition, they are working on, among others, the Ruppin Elementary School and the Machandelweg subway depot in Berlin, as well as the Hermann-von-Siemens Sports Park in Munich.