Design

Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof — Public Space Design

Concept & Design

No Pink Studio

Photography

No Pink Studio, Max Kling, Stefan Lauterbach, Manuel Dickhaut

A visit to Frankfurt's Central Station is confronting you with the raw contrasts of human existence. Here, the hardships and struggles of life meet the wealth and diversity of the city, creating a vivid, emotional tapestry that is impossible to ignore. When we were asked to design a temporary concept for the under-construction B-Level during the 2024 European Championships, we saw it as an opportunity to sharpen perspectives.

Our goal was to create a humorous yet honest reflection of Frankfurt and its station district, bringing their multifaceted identity into the redesigned B-Level. Frankfurt Central Station, Germany’s second busiest long-distance train station, is a place of intense contrasts and diversity, where nearly 493,000 travelers pass through daily.

In collaboration with Schmidt & Pütz architects, responsible for the reconstruction of the B-Level at Frankfurt Central Station, we transformed construction walls and shop facades into a vibrant showcase for the city during the 2024 European Championship. We were thrilled to work with talented street photographers from Frankfurt, each contributing their unique perspective on the city and its station district. With bold colors inspired by Frankfurt’s hues, personalized “My Frankfurt” text, and illustrations of people, sights and real-life moments developed especially for this location in collaboration with Mareike Windisch, the project became a labor of love. Playful local dialect phrases break up the design at regular intervals, adding visual excitement and humorously capturing the city's slang (with a touch of exaggeration, of course). The modular layout allows for a dynamic mix of illustrations, photos, and design elements, ensuring the concept remains flexible and future-proof.