the purpose of concealing the cabels and pipes Liege Station for aesthetic purposes: The use of needed for the station. The girders are carried by girders in combination with glass provide the the long, A-shaped columns (van Duinen, 2007). building with transparency, while the vaults and arches contribute to its monumental character. Another railway station rich in organic ornament Furthermore, Calatrava uses concrete to mould is Liege Guillemins Station (Liege-Luik). It was each element into its desired shape. In the case designed by the Spanish architect Santiago of Bijlmer ArenA Station the construction is Calatrava and was completed in 2009 (Wikipedia, used to convey the dynamics of moving trains, . One of the starting points of this project and to achieve visual contrasts and light effects. was to create a connection between the two The less conventional V-shaped girders and urban districts at each side of the railway. A-shaped columns are meant to emphasize the Calatrava realizes this not only functionally, but V forms of the roof. 2011) also visually: The traditional facade is replaced by an immense vault, which consists of concrete Thus, both stations are rich in organic ornament. beams in combination with glass . The aesthetics finds its place in the technical This way, the building becomes transparent, the elements themselves. The differences lie in only visual barrier between its two sides being the desired visual effect (transparancy and the girders of the vault and the ones of the roof. monumentality in Liege, dynamics of moving (Etherington, 2009) ‘The use of vaults and arches reminds of Gothic Cathedrals.’ Furthermore, the use of vaults and arches trains Bijlmer), type of material used (concrete provide the building with a strong monumental by Liege, steel and wood by Bijlmer), and kind character: The immense curvature of the roof is of elements used (Vaults and arches by Liege, V- the dominant element in the composition. This and A-shaped girders by Bijlmer). While Bijlmer contributes to the spacious character inside ArenA Station is a metaphor for the moving the building. Furthermore, some stairs are trains, Calatrava’s Liege Station could be seen as supplied with arches: some of them with high, a Gothic Cathedral which celebrates traintravel funicular ones, and others with low segmental and opens the gate to the city.// arches. The use of vaults and arches reminds of Gothic cathedrals, which made abundant use of these elements. The similarity with Gothic architecture also lies in the use of organic ornament itself: structural elements (such as arches, columns, vaults) also have a decorative function. And, just as with the Liege Station, they are sculptural elements. The sculptural character of the building is related to the use of complex and unconventional forms. For example, the four diagonal columns that converge in one point. Also the enormous roof girders are monolithic connected to their supporting columns, which turns the roof into a huge sculpture. Calatrava chose for concrete, because it can be ”moulded and sculpted directly on site” (Kleinman, 2005). The choice for concrete also relates to the desired colour: “Calatrava wanted a warm colour, such as cream-white, but for sure no blatant white”. This is why 20% of the used concrete was white concrete (Kleinman, 2005). Therefore, Calatrava uses the construction of the sources: >> van Duinen, T. 2007. Markante overkapping voor station Bijlmer. Stedenbouw, 72-77. >> Encyclopedia Britannica, 26-08-2011, < http:// www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/32876/architecture/31857/Organic-ornament?anchor=ref545158> and < http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/432912/ ornament> >> Etherington, R. 26-08-2011, < http://www.dezeen. com/2009/12/02/liege-guillemins-station-by-santiagocalatrava/> >> Kleinman, C.S. 2005. Zorg voor wit beton. Cement, 46-51. >> Wikipedia, 2011. < http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Station_Amsterdam_Bijlmer_ArenA> and < http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li%C3%A8ge-Guillemins_railway_station> photos: >> Hans Krusemann Photography, 26-08-2011, < http://www.hkrfoto.nl/?p=379> >> Liege City Daily Photo, 26-08-2011, < http://liegecitydailyphoto.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html> >> Mimoa, 26-08-2011, < http://www.mimoa.eu/ projects/Netherlands/Amsterdam/Train%20Station%20 Bijlmer%20ArenA> >> Open Buildings, 26-08-2011, < http://openbuildings. com/buildings/amsterdam-bijlmer-arena-stationprofile-1311/media#> >> Panorama, 26-08-2011, < http://www.panoramio. com/photo/25648101> s t y l o s // s p o o r // a l g e m e e n From top to buttom: Liège Station; entrance with funicular arches; entrance with segmental arches; unconventional columns. 23