On December 23, 2020, ADIF, a Spanish state-owned company that manages railway infrastructure, has announced 10 shortlisted finalists for the transformation and urban integration of the Madrid-Chamartín station, recently renamed Chamartín-Clara Campoamor.

As "Europe's largest urban regeneration project" Madrid Nuevo Norte project covers 2.3 million square meters and total cost estimate of around 6 billion euros and in partnership with DCN and the Madrid City Council. Here, they intend to promote sustainable public transport, small businesses and mixed uses —commercial and residential. In the heart of the regeneration project would be the new Chamartin train station, connecting the district to the Atocha Station and to the airport. With this transformation effort, Adif intends to adapt the station, whose current design dates back to 1975, to the new mobility needs and turn it not only into a new transport hub, but "into a state-of-the-art architectural solution that measures up to the relevance of the initiative in terms of functionality, sustainability, design, urban integration and accessibility and as well become the capital's new social and economic life icon".

An aerial perspective of the district showing future location of the station surrounded by mixed uses - residential and commercial. Image © DCN

All entries submitted on 8 July 2020 were reviewed by the council and announced 10 shortlisted firms to proceed to the next phase: UNStudio with b720; RSHP with Luis Vidal; Souto de Moura with Francisco Mangado and José María Ezquiaga; Grimshaw with Carlos Rubio; AECOM; Zaha Hadid Architects; BIG with IDOM; Foster+Partners with Junquera Arquitectos; Benthem Crouwel Architects; and Estudio Herreros with GMP. These ten contestants, in this order, scored highest in financial, technical, and professional criteria.

Shortlisted firms have 5 months to complete the proposals which should include the design of a new access terminal to the platforms in the north head of Madrid Chamartín-Clara Campoamor, with its urban uses associated with the railway (passenger services, Adif and Adif AV railway offices and car parks) and their corresponding road and pedestrian access. This will be followed by an evaluation by a jury. The design and technical aspects will comprise 90% of the final score, while the remaining 10% will be related to the cost proposal.

This jury will be made up of members of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, Adif and Adif High Speed, Castellana Norte District (DCN), the local and regional Administration and professional associations.

Phases

In phase 1, Adif will contract, for a maximum amount of 4.6 million euros, the drafting of the preliminary projects necessary to plan all the railway activities and the tertiary building (offices) of the urban area.

In phase 2, Adif AV will commission, through specific contracts for up to a maximum amount of 24.8 million euros, the development of all the projects arising from the planning carried out in the first stage, according to economic conditions and techniques established in the bidding documents.

The final decision is expected to be announced at the end of the first trimester of 2021. Once the winner has been selected, the Ministry of Public Works and Adif will push ahead the processing of the Partial Internal Reform Plan, a public initiative, and draft the station’s renovation construction projects. The winner will have 72 months to execute the interventions stipulated in the contract.

Top image: Frontage of the Madrid-Chamartin Station design dating back from 1975. Image © Adif

More information can be found in Adif webpage.

> via Adif