iF Design Awards for Siemens Railway Technology

The Desiro HC is an innovative regional train platform that combines the benefits of single-deck motor coaches and double-deck intermediate coaches. The goal of the development was to provide more space for passengers and create a consistent exterior and interior design. The design was developed in cooperation with Tricon Design AG.

Clear and modern lines in the exterior design, combined with specially designed roof elements, ensure a smooth and visually attractive transition from the single-deck end cars to the double-deck intermediate coaches. The bold design of the front end gives this concept a dynamic face. The overall look of the train lets it blend aesthetically into the urban environment.

Inside the Desiro HC, spacious and bright compartments convey a feeling of safety to passengers. Large visual axes and transparent partition walls provide a perfect overview, and wide inter-car gangways ensure the quick and smooth distribution of passengers throughout the vehicle. The seating arrangement offers ample leg space. The interior space has an extremely cleaning-friendly design, which helps it retain its attractiveness even after many years of service.

The interior design of the new universal restroom unit takes special care to create a harmonious overall image of the interior components. Rather than a collection of disparate individual solutions, all of the elements blend into each other. Baby-changing table and handrails form integral parts of the mirror cabinet. Additional effect lighting contributes to the pleasant ambiance of the restroom unit.

Instead of complex glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) components, the housing of the restroom unit is composed of light-alloy sandwich plates. The piping is not – as with conventional restroom units – installed behind large and complex GRP cladding but rather as a surface-mounted solution in the interior, which greatly simplifies the construction of the outer body. Now, the pipes run behind the cladding of the washstand and the mirror cabinet but always on the inside of the outer wall. This minimizes the need for wall penetrations during installation and saves on insulation. Access to the pipe components is easier in the event of repair or maintenance.

With its modular design, the universal restroom unit can be installed on any regional or high speed vehicle with adequate installation space. The new restroom unit design, developed by the Siemens design department, thus saves costs and reduces development efforts at the same time.

The “Product” category of the iF design Awards is the one that traditionally receives the most entries, and in 2016, around 3,400 products were submitted for judging in this discipline. iF has been organizing design competitions since 1953 and is a globally recognized seal of quality for excellence creative work and outstanding design.