The Granada railway station is located in the Los Pajaritos neighbourhood, inside the ring road formed by Avenida de la Constitución, Camino de Ronda and Avenida de Fuente Nueva. Since 2015, the station has been undergoing a major refurbishment to enable it to accommodate the arrival of the Madrid-Córdoba-Granada high-speed line. The works have included redevelopment of the forecourt and surrounding area, enlargement of the station including the construction of a new building, new platforms, expansion of the car park and refurbishment of the existing passenger building, which was built at the beginning of the twentieth century. One of its side areas in the east wing has been renovated to create an innovative Renfe Space to house the company’s Sales Channel, Service Centre and Atendo service.

The idea behind the project was to design a single open area to provide passengers with service in different zones, but all part of a common space. The interior volume, which does not reach the ceiling, defines the different uses of the space, separating the Atendo area located next to the entrance and the Service Centre, and leaving the Sales Channel area at the back defined by a Renfe corporate panel.

An interplay of lights

The suspended ceiling creates a taller island in the single space, an interplay that gives it certain fluidity, and in which the different kinds of lighting highlight the common area, different service areas and each of the counters, framed by alcoves featuring Renfe’s corporate image.

The side that overlooks the platforms was conceived as an interior façade where the waiting area is located, maintaining the existing gaps that frame the views of the platforms, and with areas of the building’s exposed brickwork.

This Renfe Space combines technology and innovation. It includes a queue management system for the available services with multiple options for users to take their turn for ticket sales or customer service, depending on their needs. The system is linked to Renfe’s image and advertising management system, as well as to the public address and lighting of the service points, which provide information to users who require assistance.

An open space designed with separate areas and equipped with service points for people with disabilities, each with a magnetic induction loop for people with impaired hearing

Another built-in system is the Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) which makes it possible to adapt the lighting to the number of people in the space and the time of day, with 3 possible configurations: day, night and semi-night. Each of the areas also has a service point for people with disabilities, which includes a magnetic induction loop for people with impaired hearing.  The latter consists of a communication system for hearing-aid users. The magnetic loop reduces background noise significantly, thus improving intelligibility. The result is that the user receives clear sound with the proper volume.

The Granada Renfe Space combines the essence of the station with innovation, enabling the accessibility and integration of all of the users of the station’s services. It will operate every day from 6:15 am to 11:30 pm.

This project paves the way for other locations such as the future Renfe Space in the Vigo-Urzáis station.