In Strasbourg the material glass is being forced to its limits:

The newly built glazed structure has a length of 120m (400ft), a maximum height of 25m (82ft) and a maximum width of 20m (65ft). It shall serve as an entrance and connecting building to the various forms of public transportation available in the Strasbourg metropolitan area; namely, the platforms and trains, trams, the underground Metro, buses and taxis.

A most filigree and transparent construction enables a view of the historic building. The “Verrière” is independent and solely set in front of the historic train station. A further requirement due to the location was earthquake safety.

Cold formed curved, laminated glass, which is being machined exclusively by Seele in Gersthofen, Germany, provides the highest degree of transparency and mechanical load capacity.

The primary steel supporting frame consists of 16 main arches spaced at intervals of 9m (30ft) and horizontal secondary supports (lattice ‘Fink’ beam elements) spaced at a radial interval of 4.5m (15ft). The total tonnage amounts to approximately 400 tonnes; the total glazed area approximately 6000m² (64,500ft²).