A Secondary data case study of Lyon St. Exupery Station designed by Ar. Santiago Calatrava. The case study describes the sections of the project, the concourse, the station platforms and the details of the central roofing of the concourse.

1. Lyon St. Exupéry Airport
Railway Station
● A case study ●
● Type: Long Span Structure ●
● Designed By: Ar. Santiago Calatrava ●
● Presented By: Ar. Suruchi Sharma ●
● M.Arch, II Semester, Batch 2021-23●

2. Study of a Long Span Structure
• The structure is around 100 mts wide and 40 mts at its highest point

3. To understand this structure
We need to understand the distinct parts first
Part 1 – The Central Concord
Part 2 – The Platforms
Part 3 – The Big Picture
Bringing it all together

4. • Part 1 – The Central Concord
• Details of the building
• Location
• Context and vicinity
• Materials
• Concrete
• Steel
• Glass
• The Supporting structure
• The construction systems involved
• Foundation
• The Arches
• The Vertical members
• The Connections
• The superstructure
• The composite connections
• The wings
• The ceilings

5. • Part 2 – The Platforms
• Details
• Materials
• Concrete
• The Underlying Structure
• The Foundation
• The Columns and ceiling
• Ceiling and details

6. Part 3 – The Big Picture
Bringing it all together

7. Part 1 – The Central Concord

8. Details
Location
• Lyon, France
• Is a peninsular
region, surrounded by
two rivers
• The TGV Station is
situated next to the
airport as an opening
to the region of Lyon

9. Details
Vicinity

10. Details
Materials Used
• Concrete
Standard and Composite Connections
• Steel
• Glass
• Made using Cement, aggregate sand
and water in appropriate proportions
• An alloy of iron mixed with a
percentage of carbon to improve
strength and fracture resistance
• Glass is made from natural and
abundant raw materials (sand, soda
ash and limestone) by melting them

11. Details
Materials Used
• Concrete
Standard steel connections
Composite Connections
• Steel
• Glass
• Beam-to-Beam Connections
• Column-to-Column Connections
• Column Base Plates
• Splices (cover plates, …)
• Concrete + Steel

12. Details
Materials Used
• Concrete
Standard
Composite Connections
• Steel
• Glass
• Use of steel all elements in the
building from structural to functional
• The material provides a lightness to
the structure

13. Details
Materials Used
• Concrete
Standard
Composite Connections
• Steel
• Glass
• Glass used as a medium combining
the facades
• Used in ceilings, faces and internally
too

14. Details
The Super Structure
Concrete Steel
Glass

15. Details
The Super Structure
Composite Connection
Concrete - Steel
Standard Steel
Connection
Special Connection
Steel - Steel

16. Details
The Super Structure – The central
construction element
• Arches
• The central bird like structure is dependent on two sets of arches
• Arches are structures composed of curvilinear members resting
on supports. They are used for large-span structures

17. Concrete Arches The smallest set of arches

18. Steel Arches The biggest set of arches
Supports the wings

19. Steel Arches The intermediate set of arches
Supports the central roof

20. Steel Arches The central roofing:
Made using Steel ribs and
beams; glass encasing;
The larger arch
supported by a
composite
connection of
concrete and
steel to the floor
The Intermediate arches
supported by two piers
located centrally in the hall

21. The Wings
The wings supported by all three sets of
arches, starting at the intermediate,
followed by the outer arches in the
middle with the vertical members resting
on the concrete arch set

22. The Wings
The wings supported by all three sets of
arches, starting at the intermediate,
followed by the outer arches in the
middle with the vertical members resting
on the concrete arch set

23. The Inner Arches
The Outer Arches
The concrete arches

26. The vertical member bottom fixing detail

27. Side
Elevation
Front
Elevation
Plan
The vertical member bottom fixing detail

28. Side
Elevation
Front
Elevation
Plan
Vertical Member
Strut
Fixture
Bottom plate encased in concrete
The concrete arch
The vertical member bottom fixing detail

29. Vertical Member
Strut
Fixture
Bottom plate encased in concrete
The concrete arch
Side
Elevation
Front
Elevation
Plan
Vertical Member
Strut
Fixture
Bottom plate encased in concrete
The concrete arch
The vertical member bottom fixing detail

30. The vertical member top Strut fixing detail

31. The Strut and Wing supports fixing detail

32. The Central roofing

38. The Spans
The glazed station hall – central concord:
120m x 100m and height 40m at the highest point
Platforms : Concrete covered
450m x 100m

39. The
Foundation
• Central Concord:
• Support to the
Converging Arch
(large): Isolated
reinforced concrete
foundations
• The concrete arch

40. The Beak and the legs
• The beak touches the ground
• The arches join at the beak
• The joint is strengthened by
concrete casing
• The composite connection of
steel arch and concrete is
supported by the isolated
foundation

41. • The legs at the back of the
structure are concealed now
that the structure has built
completely by the tail
structure which connects the
station to the airport
• Just as the beak, the ends
have been encased in
concrete through a
composite connection.

42. The Under Structure
• The building stands on a
mixture of granite, shingles
and clay, a relatively stable
base which helps the
structure remain stable.
• The tectonic activity in the
region is nill, resulting in a
relatively simple isolated
concrete spread footings
as the foundation system
for the railway tracks as
well.

43. The Sculptural Central Concord

44. The Sculptural Central Concord
The Concrete Arch
The Peripheral, larger Arches
(Supporting the portals and
the wings)
The Central Arch
(Supporting the structure’s
spine

45. The station : A view through the tracks

46. The station : A view through the tracks

47. • The north and south facades are the portals to the concord
• The space below the concrete arches create the entrance to the
concord
• Over the concrete arches, rests the vertical beams between the
said arch and the biggest steel arch over which the wings rest

54. To study further:
• The ceiling of the concord:
• Spine : Lamella roof inspired steel vaulted roof
• The Wings and how they’re supported by the struts in detail
• The platform structure
• The effect of the HVTs on the structure
• The effect of vibration from the aircrafts (If Any)

56. The Building
• Years of construction: 1989-1994
• Materials used: Concrete, Steel
• Symbolism: The design of the central
hall of the building resembles a bird at
the point of flight, wings spread and
with the central part in semblance to
the body and beak.
The structure is said to be the ‘gateway
to the region’
The station has ticketing offices, retail
shops, restraint facilities, exhibition
space and offices for the railways and
airport police

57. Visual Details
• The central hall is triangular and
open plan giving ample room for
people to move about.
• The back of the central concord
houses the entrance to the station
through a 180 m long tunnel
connecting the Lyon station to the
airport.
• The platform structure is created by
vaulted ceiling called lamella roof
and a system of hybrid space frame
roof – column structure.
• There are 6 railway lines, two central,
placed inside a tunnel, for the HVTs
which move at speeds of 300Kmph

58. Visual Details
• The central hall is triangular and
open plan giving ample room for
people to move about.
• The back of the central concord
houses the entrance to the station
through a 180 m long tunnel
connecting the Lyon station to the
airport.
• The platform structure is created by
vaulted ceiling called lamella roof
and a system of hybrid space frame
roof – column structure.
• There are 6 railway lines, two central,
placed inside a tunnel, for the HVTs
which move at speeds of 300Kmph

59. Visual Details
• The tunnel is created
using the same
space frame structure
as the rest of the
structure and is
covered at the top.
• The top acts as a
transition space for
the passengers to
move from the central
concord to the lower
platforms.

60. Visual Details
• The tunnel is created
using the same
space frame structure
as the rest of the
structure and is
covered at the top.
• The top acts as a
transition space for
the passengers to
move from the central
concord to the lower
platforms.