Comenza solutions for the new passenger building at Santiago de Compostela-Daniel Castelao station
The new passenger building at Santiago de Compostela-Daniel Castelao station is one of the main hubs in Galicia’s railway network. Every day, it welcomes thousands of passengers arriving in the Galician capital, making it a major transit space where functionality, wayfinding, and safety are essential to ensure a seamless experience for users.
The recent expansion of the railway complex, designed by Estudio Herreros for Adif, responds to the need to adapt the station to new passenger flows and current mobility demands. The project introduces new circulation areas and connections between different levels, creating wider and clearer routes within a contemporary architectural design that prioritizes natural light and visual continuity.
In this context, Comenza solutions are integrated as a key element of the project’s architecture, providing safety without interfering with the perception of space.
Installed systems
For this project, 140 metres of the GlassFit SV-1701 system and 165 metres of the GlassFit SV-1703 system were installed across different areas of the extension, including a staircase section. Both are top-mounted profile systems, robust and versatile solutions particularly suitable for public spaces where high levels of technical performance and safety are required.
In addition, across all our profile systems, Comenza offers the option to customize the finish with powder coating in a wide range of RAL colours, allowing the solution to be tailored to the aesthetic requirements of each project. The full range of available colours can be found in our GlassFit catalogue.
Technical process: Finite Element Method (FEM)
In a railway environment such as the new passenger building at Santiago de Compostela-Daniel Castelao station, the safety of circulation routes depends not only on the architectural design but also on a thorough technical assessment of the elements used to define and protect these spaces. In certain areas of the extension, the height of the railings had to meet specific safety requirements to prevent users from accessing sensitive areas of the railway infrastructure, which required the development of a taller solution with greater structural demands.
To validate this configuration, the project was supported by Comenza’s Technical Office, which collaborated on the specific analysis of the system using Finite Element Method (FEM) simulation. This analysis made it possible to assess the performance of the GlassFit SV-1703 system with large-format laminated glass at a height of nearly two metres, verifying its behaviour under the horizontal loads required for public-use spaces.
The simulation analysed both the glass deflections under serviceability limit state (SLS) conditions and the stresses in the glass and aluminium profile under ultimate limit state (ULS) conditions, as well as the transfer of loads to the fixing elements and the upper support system designed by the project’s engineering team. This study confirmed the stability and structural strength of the complete system, ensuring that the proposed solution performed adequately under the specific installation conditions.
Regulatory compliance of the installed Comenza solutions
The GlassFit SV-1701 and GlassFit SV-1703 systems comply with the requirements of the Spanish Technical Building Code (CTE) for strength verification at 1.2 kN/m and 2.4 kN/m for spaces with private-use (0.8 kN/m) and public-use (1.6 kN/m) categories, respectively, applying a partial safety factor of 1.5. Strength verification is an essential requirement to ensure the safety and regulatory compliance of a railing system.
Are you planning a similar project?
If you are looking for Comenza solutions for glass railings that ensure user safety, Comenza is the answer.
Explore our GlassFit Flow range or contact our technical team for personalized advice.