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Atocha Railway Station Enlargement by Rafael Moneo 

Photographer: Michael Moran 

Architect/Designer: Rafael Moneo

Client: The Monacelli Press

Location: Madrid, Spain

Shoot Date: 
January 15, 2008 
Published Date: 
January 01, 2010 
ATOCHA STATION, MADRID. 1984-1992 In 1983, an invitational competition was called to enlarge Atocha Station, which meant demolishing the Carlos I overpass. Rafael Moneo’s project was chosen and his studio was commissioned by the Public Works Ministry to undertake ‘technical assistance’ in the execution of works involving the extension and remodeling of the historical roof, as well as the creation of a local commuter train station, a bus interchange, and a parking lot. Moneo’s solution was to build a new access platform at the head of the station, reachable from the intersection of Calle Alfonso XII and Avenida Ciudad de Barcelona. Hence the layout of the entry points was inverted, turning the facade resulting from the marquee into the station’s new entrance. Moreover, the drop between this entrance and the train platforms contributed to the necessary separation between departures and arrivals. The platforms were sheltered in a hypostyle hall, which underlined the obliquity of the railway in relation to the alignments established by the roof. The cylinder/lantern interchange is, on the one hand, a sign announcing the presence of the station to the city, making it easy for buses to turn, and on the other hand, a skylight enlivening and illuminating the local commuter train station, on whose roof the parking lot was located. The Atocha Station project was based on a strategy which gave priority to the idea of urban continuity. The validity of this strategy was confirmed when an extension was carried out not long ago. ATOCHA STATION ENLARGEMENT, MADRID. 2007-2012 The new high-speed train lines (Barcelona-Valencia) made it necessary to enlarge the station, where it would also now be easier to distinguish between arrivals and departures through two entrances at different levels. The objective in this enlargement is to allow faster and more efficient unloading of trains, with a new geometry for the hypostyle hall and a strong change of color – the metal structure is now painted white – which makes one able to identify the station’s various stages of growth. In collaboration with architect Peio Elcuaz. (Rafael Moneo) 
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