African Design Magazine Africa's Top 10 Projects of 2015 | Page 24

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Facing the port of Casablanca, the economic capital of the country, the railway
station is located at the meeting point between the medina, the art deco
district and the new developments in the city centre.

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he station needed to be rebuilt in anticipation of the increase in passenger
numbers in the future, where 25 million travellers are expected to use the
station every year. The general design of the station and of the adjacent public
spaces reflects broader considerations regarding the urban remodelling of the
waterfront and the districts in the vicinity of the port of Casablanca.

The project
Under its large roof, the transport hub houses waiting areas, circulations and
services as well as retail outlets and a two-tier underground car park facility.
The concourse is the major element of the hub and opens up onto a large forecourt on
the south-west and the platforms on the north-east. As if in anticipation of possible new
transformations, the station has been devised in a way that allows its future connection
with a potential regional express line station.
The station layout
The dimensions of the vast concourse and the walkways leading to the transverse
platform are suited to deal with, predominantly, commuter travels and peak time
loadings occurring over the same periods during the day. The concourse hosts all travelrelated services (ticket offices, information displays, reception, waiting areas etc.) as
well as a prayer room away from the bustling crowd. Vertical circulations pass through

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