Liege-Guillemins Railway Station by Santiago Calatrava

The station by the architect Santiago Calatrava was officially opened on 18 September 2009, with a show by Franco Dragone. It has 9 tracks and 5 platforms (three of 450 m and two of 350 m). All the tracks around the station have been modernised to allow high speed arrival and departure. While the station only houses five platforms, it is one of the most important hubs in Belgium because all of the tracks are compatible with high speed trains. The building seems to be a modern interpretation of the classic stations built during the industrial revolution. Calatrava’s dome has equal grandeur and similar dimensions (200m long, 35m high). The extensive use of white makes the station look not only more chicque than its 19th century predecessors; it gives the structure an airy, light-weight and almost delicate appearance.

credit: Jacquy Ankaert