Architecture studio Snøhetta has exclusively revealed Qasr AlHokm Metro Station in Riyadh, which features a curving mirrored canopy that reflects a subterranean planted atrium.

Surrounded by a public plaza, the Qasr AlHokm Metro Station is one of four main hubs in Riyadh’s metro system, which commenced full operation in January 2025 and has a capacity of 3.6 million daily passengers.

The station’s defining feature is a mirrored bowl-shaped canopy that extends over the plaza and dips into the interior, reflecting views of the inside of the building as well as its surroundings.

Sloped floors in the plaza guide visitors under the canopy and into the station, where they can access two metro lines and an underground garden enclosed by a truncated cone-shaped wall.

“When you come off the train and look up, you see a 360-degree view of the city reflected on the underside of the canopy,” said Snøhetta partner Robert Greenwood.

“So, you get an immediate picture of where you are in the city,” he continued. “Likewise, if you’re coming from the city, you look up into the canopy, and it mirrors everything that happens below.”

Topped with photovoltaic panels, the distinctive canopy was made from double-curved stainless-steel sheets that were welded together and polished to create a smooth, reflective surface.

Adjustable tie rods connect the reflective panels to a steel spaceframe, which is perched on the truncated, cone-shaped wall inside the station.

Planting and green walls form a garden space in the atrium inside this cone wall, designed as a relaxing area for passengers to enjoy while waiting for their train.

Its underground location helps maintain a temperate environment, while water collection systems in the canopy roof and plaza are used to irrigate the garden.

Glazed boxes containing the two metro lines protrude into the atrium, aiming to improve wayfinding in the station and give views of greenery.

“This station is designed as a place for all citizens, regardless of gender or social status, and promotes both environmental and social sustainability,” said Snøhetta co-founder Kjetil Trædal Thorsen.

“The new plaza and garden further strengthen the public realm, providing valuable shared spaces for the nearby communities.”

Informed by the traditional Najdi architecture found in the neighbouring Al-Daho district, triangular openings of three different sizes puncture the cone wall.

A media art installation made up of square panels wraps the interior of the station’s outer elevation, intended to provide calming visuals.

Situated next to an Eid prayer field and a mosque, the swooping forms of the Qasr AlHokm Metro Station were designed to help the movement of people passing through the station and its plaza.

Qasr AlHokm Metro Station joins Zaha Hadid Architect’s geometric King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station as one of Riyadh Metro’s main hubs.

Elsewhere in Saudi Arabia, Snøhetta has unveiled designs for an opera house informed by Najdi mud-brick architecture.

The photography is by Iwan Baan.