SAUDI ARABIA: Western station on the Orange Line of the Riyadh Metro has opened, with a design which construction contractor Webuild said is based on ’a contemporary interpretation of the Saudi landscape’.
The infill station at Western opened on May 15 as the last of 22 stations Webuild has built on the 41 km automated Orange Line 3 as part of the Arriyadh New Mobility consortium with L&T, Nesma, Hitachi and Alstom.
The 112 000 m² interchange integrates an elevated 17 000 m² metro station, a bus terminal, underground parking with over 600 spaces, 15 00 m² of retail areas, a 1 000 m² mosque and a public square.
Webuild said the design takes inspiration from the colours and shapes of desert dunes. Horizontal structures emerge from the ground to define the entrances, guide natural light into the interior spaces and provide shaded areas.
The roofs are supported by two large arches, spanning 115 m and rising 24 m, ‘creating a monumental structure that blends into the urban landscape rather than standing out as an isolated object.’
The station was designed according to LEED Gold sustainability criteria, with the use of high-efficiency equipment and the self-generated renewable energy used to reduce water and energy consumption even during construction.
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