Renovation while maintaining Appearance. Central Train Station, Mönchengladbach, Germany.
In Germany most central train stations were built in the 19th century. During the last two centuries the usage of trains has increased immensly which calls for infrastructure improvements and expansions of existing facilities such as train stations. However, extending existing train stations and resturating them or even demolishing them for bigger buildings is not an easy task as most of the existing stations are protected as heritage sites. Therefore, replacing them with new structures is rarely an option. Huge renovations must be undertaken to enhance their capacities while maintaining their appearance which can be quite expensive. Currently the Deutsche Bahn (German Train Company) and the responsible ministry are undertaking a project to renovate 150 old train stations within the country until 2030. The picture shows the central train station of Mönchengladbach which is undergoing a transformation process since 2010. When dealing with cultural heritage is it important to keep an eye on its use for the present society and not only remain the status quo of it for nostalgic reasons. Cultural heritage needs also to be adaptable to modern times and needs.
