Project Description
The Riyadh Metro Western Station is conceived as a civic landmark and as a step towards a more sustainable Riyadh. This multimodal transit hub includes light rail and bus connections as well as a marketplace and public plazas to serve the community. Omrania received the commission to design the architecture, interiors, and landscape of the Western Station as a result of a limited international competition. The facility is situated on two city blocks (11.7ha) and surrounded by a predominantly low-rise residential neighborhood. The light-rail tracks are elevated as they enter the station, allowing the ground plane to serve pedestrian, car, and bus circulation. Within the arched structures, reminiscent of sand dunes, the interiors are open and column-free. A series of lightweight tensile shading devices protects the multiuse outdoor spaces. A park-and-ride facility is tucked below ground. Previously the site of an open-air vegetable market, the outdoor plaza is designed to host produce markets, family events, and festivals in conjunction with the new covered market. A new mosque and palm court stand on the western part of the site. Energy and water efficiency, occupant comfort, and ease of maintenance were functional priorities in the station’s design.