The Western Station, designed by Omrania, a member of 10N Collective, officially opened to passengers on 15 May as part of Riyadh Metro’s Orange Line (Line 3). The station joins a fully operational network that was inaugurated by His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and has been progressively serving the capital since late 2024, marking a defining chapter in Riyadh’s public transportation story.
Omrania secured the honor of designing the Western station, recognized as one of the four “Iconic Stations” of the Riyadh Metro network, through an internationally renowned competition. Collaborating closely with One Works Crew as engineers, Omrania led the station’s architectural, landscape, and interior vision into reality.
Covering 112,500 square meters, the Western station is both an architectural masterpiece and a multifunctional transit and social hub. Its design draws inspiration from sand dunes along the southern border of Riyadh, expressed through undulating forms and striking three-way curved roofs and façades that create a distinctive arrival experience for visitors while harmonising with the city’s natural heritage. The roof and facade tessellation grids and patterns are driven by the traditional Najdi triangular motif, rooting the station firmly in its cultural context.
The innovative design also maximises daylight and optimises permeability, while emphasising contextual relevance, community engagement, and urban regeneration. The station integrates an array of public amenities, including a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) terminus, community plaza, underground parking, a mosque, and a food hall, positioning it as far more than a transit point.
Omrania’s design philosophy prioritizes user experience, sustainability, and nature-inspired resonance. The Western Station catalyses local urban renewal by combining transit infrastructure with community-focused spaces, including skate parks, playgrounds, a sensory garden with art installations, and the Urban Market Plaza, which transforms into a farmers’ market to support engagement and sustainable urban living. The broader urban renewal offering accommodates a plan for future community functions and commercial investment opportunities.
Mahmoud Abughazl, Corporate Architectural Principal at Omrania:
“We are honoured to have contributed to the transformative Riyadh Metro project and to align our work with Vision 2030’s ambition to establish Saudi Arabia as a global hub for innovation and investment. The Western Station gave us the chance to design at a scale that matters to the city: the dunes shaped the form, the Najdi triangle shaped the pattern, and the brief allowed us to deliver a station that is both forward-looking and authentically of Riyadh. Designed to meet LEED Gold global standards and built with regionally sourced materials, it reflects what Omrania has always stood for — sustainability, cultural authenticity, and architecture that belongs to the place it serves.”
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