Renowned Swiss-Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava has completed the new Gare de Mons station in Belgium, featuring a striking sculptural design made of flowing glass and steel. The station's exterior showcases sweeping curves and modern materials that create a dynamic architectural landmark along the international Paris to Brussels train line.
The station's innovative design centers around what Calatrava describes as a "monumental bridge" – a raised gallery volume that stretches an impressive 165 meters across the entire site. This central structure serves as the architectural backbone of the project, with a series of 350-meter-long platforms and bus stops extending outward from beneath the gallery. The concept transforms the traditional railway station into a sculptural bridge that spans across the transportation infrastructure below.
Calatrava originally won the competition for redeveloping the existing station back in 2006, and his design addresses multiple urban planning challenges. The new station serves as a crucial link connecting a previously isolated residential area to the north with the historic quarter to the south. Beyond its transportation function, the project introduces essential new facilities to the area, including office spaces, underground parking facilities, and retail areas that enhance the surrounding community.
"This project transcends the challenges of constructing a new railway station," Calatrava explained about his design vision. "Conceived as a monumental bridge spanning the tracks, it has ignited a profound transformation in its surrounding areas," he added, emphasizing the station's role as a catalyst for urban development.
The exterior design features an expansive bridge structure that forms the station's centerpiece, crowned with a distinctive sloping roof that rises to a dramatic peak. Glass canopies extend from the gallery roof at both the north and south entrances, providing shelter for the central staircases that are flanked by escalators leading up to the station's main interior spaces. This arrangement creates a welcoming and weather-protected entrance experience for passengers and visitors.
Inside the station, the architectural design celebrates the building's structural elements by leaving the large triangular truss structure fully exposed. The curved glass entrances to platforms, shops, and other facilities are elegantly framed by the building's structural curves, creating a harmonious integration between function and form. An operable skylight lined with wooden supports runs along the gallery's peak, serving the dual purpose of drawing natural daylight into the space while providing essential ventilation.
The interior design incorporates warm wooden details that add visual comfort to the internal facades, complemented by blue limestone flooring that provides durability and aesthetic appeal. "The central gallery is fully enclosed and insulated, ensuring a comfortable temperature during the colder months," Calatrava noted, highlighting the practical considerations built into the design. Visitors can easily access the platform level from the central space through multiple transportation options, including stairs, escalators, and elevators for accessibility.
The transportation facilities are comprehensive and well-planned, with seven passenger tracks sheltered beneath roofs that extend from the central volume. Additionally, the station accommodates 29 bus stops and taxi stands, all equipped with built-in wooden benches for passenger comfort. The integration of multiple transportation modes creates a seamless transit hub that serves various travel needs within a single architectural framework.
Below ground, the station features extensive support facilities including two underground parking structures and a substantial 200-unit bicycle parking facility. The bike parking area incorporates large structural trusses that echo the architectural language of the upper levels, maintaining design consistency throughout the project. Other underground spaces include office areas, back-of-house facilities for staff operations, and a dedicated unit designed to accommodate a childcare facility, making the station a community-oriented destination.
The Gare de Mons station represents a significant achievement in contemporary transportation architecture, demonstrating how infrastructure projects can serve as catalysts for urban transformation while providing beautiful, functional spaces for daily use. The project showcases Calatrava's signature style of combining structural innovation with sculptural beauty, creating a landmark that serves both practical transportation needs and architectural inspiration for the community of Mons and international travelers passing through Belgium.
