Gare do Oriente, Railway station in Parque das Nações, Portugal.
Gare do Oriente is a transport hub in Parque das Nações that unites five levels with a train terminal, bus station, and metro station. The steel and glass construction joins all modes of transport under a shared roof and allows connections throughout Portugal and into Europe.
Santiago Calatrava designed the station for the 1998 World Exposition as part of the urban transformation of eastern Lisbon's waterfront. Completion marked the turning point in reshaping this former industrial shore into a residential and business district.
The station hall carries a canopy of steel arches that recalls the ribbed vaults of Portuguese monasteries, translating Gothic forms into modern construction. Travelers see the sky above the platforms through the open framework, while light falls through the struts and moves across the waiting areas.
Trains depart for Porto, Faro, and Madrid, while metro lines run into the city center and buses serve regional destinations. Ticket offices open early in the morning and close late in the evening, with vending machines on all platforms as an alternative.
The white lattice of the roof rises to the height of an eight-story building and casts shadow patterns on the tracks that change throughout the day. The construction uses no bolts in the main joints but welds the steel parts into a single continuous framework.
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