Foster + Partners’ plan for the Ourense FFCC Station in Galicia, Spain is to bring together high-speed rail and bus stations in a major urban intervention. This will open pedestrian links between the districts on either side of the tracks and create a new public plaza for the city.
The existing railway line is being upgraded to accommodate high-speed rail links in the region, something the recently revealed design takes into consideration. The plans call for a new station that caters to the increased passenger numbers created by the high-speed rail and creates a framework for a new transport interchange. Included in the new terminal will be a direct connection with the adjacent bus terminal, a new urban square in front of the station, and a pedestrian walkway and public park over the tracks.
Rendering courtesy of Foster + Partners.
The addition will be made from concrete plates and slender columns that match the color of the existing station’s granite. The new concrete plates will provide shelter from rain and high temperatures common to the area’s summers. The roofs are designed as a modular system requiring minimal maintenance with the capability of accommodating future expansions.
A new portico highlights the entry canopy and will feature cafés and shops. The front of the station will spill directly onto a new urban square. Meanwhile, the internal lobby will be reconfigured to create a space filled with natural light and triple-height ceilings. Historic frescoes on the upper portions of the walls are being retained and restored.
Rendering courtesy of Foster + Partners.
Wayfinding through the station has been improved via clear visual connections from the check-in stations to the trains. Additionally, a direct internal connection to the bus station creates an easy link to the city and surrounding area.
Related Stories
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Construction Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Structure Tone, Turner, and Gilbane top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction contractor and construction management firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Engineering Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, URS, and Wiss, Janney, Elstner top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction engineering and engineering/architecture firms in the U.S.
| Jul 28, 2014
Reconstruction Sector Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Stantec, HDR, and HOK top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest reconstruction architecture and architecture/engineering firms in the U.S.
| Jul 23, 2014
Architecture Billings Index up nearly a point in June
AIA reported the June ABI score was 53.5, up from a mark of 52.6 in May.
| Jul 21, 2014
Economists ponder uneven recovery, weigh benefits of big infrastructure [2014 Giants 300 Report]
According to expert forecasters, multifamily projects, the Panama Canal expansion, and the petroleum industry’s “shale gale” could be saving graces for commercial AEC firms seeking growth opportunities in an economy that’s provided its share of recent disappointments.
| Jul 18, 2014
Contractors warm up to new technologies, invent new management schemes [2014 Giants 300 Report]
“UAV.” “LATISTA.” “CMST.” If BD+C Giants 300 contractors have anything to say about it, these new terms may someday be as well known as “BIM” or “LEED.” Here’s a sampling of what Giant GCs and CMs are doing by way of technological and managerial innovation.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Construction Management Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, Barton Malow, Hill International top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest construction management and project management firms in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Contractors [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Turner, Whiting-Turner, Skanska top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest contractors in the United States.
| Jul 18, 2014
Engineering firms look to bolster growth through new services, technology [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Following solid revenue growth in 2013, the majority of U.S.-based engineering and engineering/architecture firms expect more of the same this year, according to BD+C’s 2014 Giants 300 report.
| Jul 18, 2014
Top Engineering/Architecture Firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Jacobs, AECOM, Parsons Brinckerhoff top Building Design+Construction's 2014 ranking of the largest engineering/architecture firms in the United States.
