ABSTRACT
Railway stations are the very unusual combination of architecture and structure. They serve people but they have also to consider structural requirements of trains. Currently, the modern stations are multifunctional complexes, connecting multi-modes of transportation. Architecture and structure at these stations are complementary to each other. The true aesthetic design can be only achieved by their coordination from the very beginning of the design process. The paper is formulating the conditions to achieve a well-balanced aesthetic station. Some parts of the station – such as platforms, canopies, are very much determined by the outstanding structure and other – like station building are very much dependent on architecture. Together these facilities are on the borderline between architecture and structural engineering. The article is analyzing this relationship and is categorizing the recent stations in Japan and Europe.
