25.10.2016 - Albula Tunnel Infoarena receives German Design Award

The Rhaetian Railway's (RhB) Albula Tunnel Infoarena has won the German Design Award 2017. The international members of the jury were won over by the original, informative showcasing of the building site for the building of the new Albula Tunnel in Preda. The German Design Award is one of the most acclaimed design competitions in the world and is held in high regard by many, not only the specialists.

The German Design Award discovers and awards unique design trends. It honours pioneering innovative products, projects and designers in the design field. In the catalogue on the German Design Award 2017, the 48-person international jury praised the outstanding design quality and holistic concept of the Albula Tunnel Infoarena in which the Alpine building site was 'packed' into a 165-metre long red wall reflecting the shape of the mountain. At the same time, this acts as a building site fence, an info panel and landmark. The design concept of the Albula Tunnel Infoarena was created by the two studios 'Erlebnisplan' in Lucerne and Frank Dittmann, Atelier für Szenografie und Architektur (Workshop for Scenography and Architecture) in Zurich. The German Design Award 2017 is being presented at a ceremony in Frankfurt on 10 February 2017.

Albula Tunnel Infoarena of great interest to the public
Roman Cathomas, responsible project lead for the RhB Albula Tunnel Infoarena, was extremely pleased about the award: "The award for the Albula Tunnel Infoarena confirms our showcasing efforts and our high commitment to quality and design. Furthermore it was very important to us to appropriately embed the Infoarena into the building site situation in Preda". RhB is convinced that the right combination of construction and tourism can even represent added value. For this reason, the company has always tried to see construction from a passenger's and tourist's point of view and turn it into an experience, explains Cathomas. Something that is obviously appreciated: although the season only allows building site access for around six months, more than 6,000 visitors have already been on the guided tours of the Alpine building site since the opening of the Albula Tunnel Infoarena in June 2015. And in general, the Albula Tunnel Infoarena has become a popular destination.

Albula Tunnel Infoarena - an experience for people of all ages
The Albula Tunnel Infoarena in Preda documents the large-scale 'New Albula Tunnel Construction' project during the construction period. The Infoarena is open daily from the beginning of May to the end of October between 8 am and 8 pm. The visit is free of charge and guests are at leisure to enjoy the trip as they desire. Building site tours are also available on a regular basis.

German Design Award
The German Design Award honours pioneering innovative products, projects and designers in the design field. The Albula Tunnel Infoarena was given a special mention in the category «Urban Space».