The city of Likasi, South-Eastern city of the D.R. Congo, is known to have been established in 1917 mainly for the use of its railway infrastructures to connect the industrial areas around the city. The existing station building, which was built in 1954, and which essentially served only the eastern part of the city (since the eastern part of the city was attached to the outskirts of the existing city at that time), was to be rebuilt in 20 years after its construction. The new conceptual project takes into consideration the actual situation within the city, with two main entrances on both sides of the city and responding to the need for an increasing passenger traffic demand, providing a modern level of passenger service.
The station presents two main squares outside the complex. The Eastern Station Square belongs to the side of the city with good transport infrastructure, the existing central bus station, the administrative center. On the forecourt area, passenger-flows and car traffic flows are divided. Landscaping is foreseen on the site: awnings are both shady and are protecting from heat, which is typical of the Congo climate. The design of fountains will positively affect the microclimate during the hot summer there are stops for individual transport. Meanwhile, Western station square occupies a larger area, which corresponds to the intensity of passenger flow in that part of the city. The station square is designed in such a way that the entrance to the train stations and the entrance of public transport are separated. Passenger flows and the movement of public and transport personals are separated.
The station complex consists of two volumes connected by a concourse with a capacity of 700 people an hour. The frequency of passenger flow is estimated to 300 on the Western part of the station, while on the Eastern part - 400 people. The functionality of the building has been designed in a way, a passenger, upon entering the building, receives a visual orientation in the building's space. The sequence of accommodation of the main premises for passengers is in accordance with the functional and technological process: obtaining information, arranging a trip (purchasing a ticket, handing over luggage, luggage storage, and way to the platform or area ofcoverage). Lobbies have a double-luminous space, which meets the requirements of volume-space per person (up to 30 a3 / h) for illuminated information boards. The Ticket windows are adjacent to the lobby. The way to the platforms through the concourse is equipped with elevators, which provide a comfortable movement of passengers with hand luggage and the disabled. Platforms are equipped with shelters, which protect from diverse climatic influences (sun, rain, wind) The administrative part of the service (except for those directly related to track maintenance) are located outside the passengers' arrival and departure area, on the second floor of the western station).
The building of the railway station has a symmetrical plan on the ground floor and an identical arrangement of parts relative to the axis of symmetry. Symmetry gives the perception of completeness, stability, and regularity. The building is proportional, as it is designed on the observance of certain proportions of both the external volume and the internal space. The artistic expression of the work of construction and material, tectonics, is expressed through the use of small prefabricated structures. The volumetric-spatial composition is due to the functional-technological scheme of the railway station. The facade walls are provided with curtain walls for vertical protection from sunray, especially in the western part of the building. The materials used for the construction are local ones. The facade systems’ colors used on the bases of the cold gamma. In accordance with the requirement of energy efficiency, solar batteries are installed above the atrium and on the roof of the building.
