| Imaginative roof design for belgian station |
Date: Feb 12, 2010
 In
view of the importance of Guillemins for the high-speed rail network, the
Belgian national rail operator sncb/nmbs decided to completely renew part of the
station. This involved demolishing some of the old station and constructing a
new wing adjoining the present main building.As a result, an imposing yet
elegant structure now graces the station complex in Liege. The design work was
entrusted to Santiago Calatrava, a Spanish architect who already has many
notable achievements to his credit. Portal won the contract, thanks not least to
its outstanding reputation and many years of experience in Europe. The roof was
manufactured, assembled and erected by the Belgian company Portal. For extruding
and painting the large amounts of aluminium profiles Portal was able to call on
its long-standing partner Sapa rc Profiles.
Calatrava was first commissioned to design the new Liège-Guillemins Station in
1996, and was tasked with the seemingly impossible duty of replacing the
existing station without disturbing the ongoing train services and daily passage
of 36,000 people. The results of his efforts are a cathedral for passage
throughout Europe. The vast glass roof encases exposed working platforms and the
dynamism of the moving ensemble of passengers and trains, asserting the urbanity
and bustle represented within the high-speed network. The architect's vision of
a building without facades adding to this energy. Commuters can now travel to
Aachen, Cologne and Brussels, as well as to Frankfurt, Paris, London and the
Southern portions of Europe at a modern pace through this monumental gateway. “It
was my goal to create a 21st century transportation facility that would not only
unite Liège with the rest of Europe, but would also serve as a symbol of the
city’s renewal,” said Calatrava. “The project, as a whole, creates
a new gateway into Liège and re-establishes a relationship with the city".
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