Central Bus Station Krumbach

While the individual bus stops scattered around Krumbach were designed by the most renowned world architects, the central station was designed by local architects themselves. The project in the center of the village comes from the same trio of authors (Bernardo Bader, René Bechter, and Hermann Kaufmann) who also designed the neighboring parish.
The surrounding stops, resembling exhibition exhibits, are intended to increase tourist interest in the mountain village. The central station is a fully functional transportation structure that maintains connections with adjacent communities. During our visit, people were waiting at the stop, and buses regularly stopped here.
Unlike the display of all possible shapes of the surrounding stops, the main terminal in Krumbach is a testament to the purest minimalism. The building could hardly have been constructed more simply.
The stop is located north of the village square, on the site of the old shepherd’s hut (Das alte Sennhus). It replaced the original structure, which no longer met safety requirements and the increasing needs for comfort. The municipal representatives, who were aware of the significance of the structure, wisely allocated space in the center of the village and commissioned the trio of architects to develop a study for a transportation terminal that can serve up to four buses at the same time. At the same time, a quick and safe transfer for passengers was required, which resulted in the elongated shape of the stop composed of just three elements: two angled walls measuring 8.2 meters long and a roof plate measuring 29 x 4 meters. All supporting elements are made of prefabricated laminated wooden components with crossed layers. The roof plate, consisting of nine layers up to 43 mm thick, is cantilevered by 3.5 meters at both ends. The walls create a solid back for seating while waiting and also provide a good view of the arriving buses from both sides.
It is unnecessary to mention that local craftsmen participated in the execution, using local spruce for the laminated wooden beams, solid oak wood for the benches, above-ground concrete elements that were subsequently sandblasted, and information boards with timetables made of brass. All materials used remained untreated to allow for natural aging.