[5] At the time of its opening it was considered the largest intermodal station in Portugal,[6] winning the Brunel Award on 7 October 1998, in the category of large new construction projects.

[8] With some influence from Gothic architecture, the station bears considerable resemblance to Santiago Calatrava's earlier Allen Lambert Galleria within Toronto's Brookfield Place.

Calatrava's objective was to realize a new space with ample room and functionality providing multiple connections between various zones in the metropolitan area of Lisbon.

The decision to elevate the rail line, for example, eliminated a physical barrier between the city and the Tagus River margin.

[9] The station, covered in a lattice structure of glass and metal, is constructed of reinforced concrete and raised 19 metres (62 ft) over the roadway.