Gare de Mons by Santiago Calatrava

The multimodal railway station in the Belgian city of Mons (Gare de Mons) is designed as a ‘monumental bridge,’ rising above the tracks and acting as a catalyst for the transformation of the surrounding area. Santiago Calatrava won the competition to remodel the existing station in 2006.

Its main gallery, 165 meters long and 15 meters high, connects the historic center of Mons, to the south, with the new Grands Prés neighborhood, to the north, integrating both areas with a large, covered, and luminous walkway. This gallery features a rhythmic sequence of triangular steel pieces, combined with glass and wood, on limestone floors. This dialogue between structure and transparency creates a warm atmosphere, where natural light plays a leading role. A large operable skylight runs along the central axis of the roof, providing ventilation in summer.

The station has seven passenger tracks and 350-meter platforms, as well as 29 bus stops and taxi stands, making it a true multimodal transport hub. Below the level of the tracks are underground car parks and bicycle parking spots, supported by large structural trusses that replicate the construction logic of the upper levels. In total, the complex comprises more than 2,100 m² of retail space, 3,500 m² of offices and 12,000 m² of landscaped areas, consolidating its role as a civic hub.

Externally, the station appears as a glass and steel sculpture that seems to float above the tracks, crowned by a sloping roof with fluid shapes. Mons Station thus stands as a symbol of urban renewal, combining functional efficiency, sustainability, and architecture with a strong contemporary identity.