LUSH GREEN OASIS
24 Jun 2015
Inspired by the Arabian Desert, a striking and sculptural landmark in Saudi Arabia will see a dune-inspired transit hub topped by a lush green oasis.
Saudi Arabia’s capital will soon be home to yet another striking and sculptural architecture landmark. Inspired by the Arabian Desert, the Olaya Metro Station is a dune-inspired transit hub that will be topped by a palm tree-lined landscape and go 30 metres underground to accommodate retail and two subway lines.
Slated for completion in 2018, the palm tree-covered transit hub has just entered the excavation stage and comes hot on the heels of another dune-inspired metro station, Zaha Hadid’s King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station in Riyadh.
Designed by Gerber Architekten, the new Olaya Metro Station design is part of the country’s plan to redevelop Riyadh’s metro system. The design features an undulating “minimalist dune” glass-enclosed structure that “establishes a dialogue between tradition and future.”
The oasis-like building is topped with a large rooftop park planted with palm trees in a grid formation. The park will also accommodate numerous water features and gathering spaces.
Below the undulating green roof is the large open-plan meeting area wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass. Natural light floods the first floor and penetrates the underground levels that comprise a shopping mall, a multilevel car park, and two subway lines.
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