A new lease of life for the factory hall at Merano railway station

As part of a workshop held in April 2023, architecture students from the University of Innsbruck, led by Wittfrida Mitterer, took on the challenge of breathing new life into the five dilapidated workshops at Meran’s main railway station. Through direct dialogue with the relevant institutions, an assessment of the current situation was carried out and wishes and suggestions were identified.
The five workshops, built on the railway site along St.-Josef-Straße in 1905, and the coach houses situated in front of them – which have already been demolished – are in a precarious state, but could become a key hub for the station district.

The proposed transformation plans, which guarantee the preservation of the original structures whilst also allowing for new developments, take the surrounding area into account. The favourable location of the neighbourhood behind the station, characterised by watercourses and green spaces, is particularly striking.