Top marks for winning proposal by UNStudio, b720 & Esteyco for Madrid-Chamartín

Ben van Berkel: “We are truly delighted that our design has been nominated as the winning proposal for this extremely exciting urban regeneration project. Madrid is fast becoming one of the most exciting and attractive cities in Europe. The transformation of this area will invigorate this part of the city while adding new green lungs to Madrid. We are thrilled to have worked with the best possible local partners on this proposal, as collaboration was key to our team’s success”

The international competition was launched in 2020 by Adif AV to transform the Madrid-Chamartín Clara Campoamor railway hub into an international benchmark for sustainable, multimodal, connected and integrated mobility.

UNStudio, b720 Arquitectura and Esteyco’s proposal, unanimously obtained the maximum score from the jury, which considered aspects such as functionality – railway, commercial and tertiary -, feasibility, accessibility and integration into the city, sustainability and inclusivity, with the aim of turning the Chamartín complex into an urban reference in Madrid.

A key element that the team deemed essential in the proposed design was to retain and respect the historical vaulted roofs of Chamartín station, recognising them as a singular and identifying element of the station.

Ben van Berkel: “Our main focus was to retain and improve the existing station complex and to activate its surroundings with a careful mix of fast and slow programme; to design a highly sustainable future-proof urban hub, while densifying and truly activating the area with working, living, leisure and learning. The new station area will vastly improve this part of the city, attracting new flows of people and bringing quality of life in this part of Madrid to the next level.”

Flanked by new towers and fronted by a public square, the proposed new station is transformed into a large urban courtyard that serves as a fully integrated mobility hub that provides easy access to other modes of transport.