Gare do Oriente

Gare do Oriente, once the imposing gateway to Expo 98, is now an icon of the Parque das Nações.

Calatrava's proposal, presented as part of the competition for the Oriente station, was bold, full of organic forms and, in a way, almost alien. The Spanish architect designed a station consisting of a series of viaducts topped by a large roof over the station platforms.  Calatrava decided to opt for a more modular form for this roof, suggesting that it be formed by four rows of metal "trees", almost a "forest" covering the platforms.

This concept, in addition to being aesthetically very appealing, allowed for greater modularity and flexibility in future extensions of the station, since the very "viaduct" on which the North Line is based is composed of a series of identical arches that can be replicated in parallel to the existing ones.