Stuttgart Gave Me Tunnel Vision

As our class arrived in Germany, we began our trip in Stuttgart. It is no question that the last few days have been a whirlwind of new experiences encompassed by immersion in a new culture, educational pursuits, and opportunities to explore a nation which leads the world in sustainability. To keep it concise, I’d say that my time in Stuttgart gave me tunnel vision, but not in the way you’d think.

Amid the first day’s packed schedule, our class had the opportunity to visit and tour the upcoming Stuttgart 21, a project that seeks to completely re-envision the city’s main train station. In this effort, a new underground station is being built to replace the current one, addressing several issues in the process. For instance, the new stations seeks to simplify the rail network, as the presently implemented system is one that perpetuates delays and prevents the steady flow of incoming and outgoing trains.

Arguably more important in the discussion on sustainability, however, Stuttgart 21 enables the current station’s above ground network to be disassembled, making room for a significant amount of green space and affordable housing, underscoring both environmental and social sustainability.

As such, it can be easy to see the benefits which this project can bring, but it has always been a clear path forward for Stuttgart 21. During early stages of development, the station was met with major opposition that completely stifled construction. This created major delays, pushing the arrival date of the station to late 2025 from 2021, the initial year from which the development derives its name. Moreover, it seems as though the concerns of the vocal minority may have held substantial validity, as the budget expectations for the station have been greatly exceeded. That said, I believe that proceeding with the project was the right choice, so long as the proposed benefits align with reality.

All in all, exploring the in-development project gave me visions of a better world, and I look forward to hearing about ways in which this project may change the urban landscape of Stuttgart in the future.