The Riyadh public transportation network is the world’s largest urban transport project in development and includes six underground metro lines, three bus lines, a circular city centre bus route and community bus services.
Park and ride facilities will be available at many of the 85 metro stations around the city and the Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA), the government body responsible for the planning and development of Riyadh, said it has selected the three winning designs in order to create stunning buildings.
The aim is for these iconic stations to transform Riyadh streets as they become the most visible elements of the city’s new world class public transport system. They are designed to provide for travel, shopping and dining and be at the heart of city life.
The designs by Gerber Architekten from Germany for Olaya Metro Station, Snohetta from Norway for Downtown Metro Station (Qasr Al Hokm) and Zaha Hadid from the United Kingdom for King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station, were selected for their outstanding conceptual thinking and powerful design.
Khalid Hazzani, ADA director, said that each of the stations creates a modern landmark for the city, as well as supporting the technical requirements of Riyadh Metro.
‘The selection of station designs is an exciting milestone for Riyadh Metro. These iconic landmarks will transform the city streetscape. They will not only provide elegant interchanges for one of the most advanced public transport systems in the world, but also provide new public spaces for shopping, eating and working,’ he explained.
‘Riyadh Metro is benefitting from world leading design expertise, ensuring Riyadh remains at the forefront of sustainable urban design,’ he added.
Olaya Metro Station creates a new public plaza integrated within an iconic city-centre development. Inside the station, a large, open entrance hall allows visitors to see across all four storeys of the building, including the two metro lines, a mezzanine level with shops and food halls, and an open concourse housing the ticket barriers.
The main Downtown station at the intersection of Al Madinah Al Munnawarah Street and King Faisal Street, in the Al Doho quarter will serve as a transfer point between Metro Lines 1 and 3, as well as integrating with the bus network, like all the main stations.
It is described as a model of sustainable development, with a large canopy creating a shaded plaza and allowing natural light to filter to the underground concourse. The station also has a Mosque at the south west corner.
The main station at King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), at the intersection of Metro Lines 4 and 6 is described as having soft, fluid wave forms, creating an impressive aesthetic whilst also minimising solar heat transfer. Geometric latticework covers the building facade, creating a modern twist on the Mashrabiya found in traditional Arabic architecture.
Other landmark ADA projects include the Diplomatic Quarter, which houses most of the Riyadh based embassies, consulates and permanent representations of foreign governments and major multilateral organisations, the King Abdullaziz Historical Centre, the world acclaimed Wadi Hanifah regeneration project, as well as a historic village of Atturaif, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The new public transport system aims to provide the people of Riyadh with a comfortable, reliable and fast way to travel around the city and a sustainable alternative to cars. It is needed to cope with a projected rise of 40% in the city’s population by 2030, and daily travel demand is set to increase by 60%.
