What does the new ___ look like? (SPOILERS)

[Deranged Nasat]

The Bajorans put up with the station when it served their interests but it was always a reminder of the occupation.

Maybe at first. But it was also a major installation owned by the Bajoran government and essential to putting Bajor on the map. Plus it gave their system a unique identity even after they joined the Federation. I'd propose that the station became just as much representative of free Bajor as it did the occupation. If so, I could easily see the Federation being sensitive to the Bajoran sense of national identity and weighing that into their decision regarding the new station's design.

 

[F. King Daniel]

That would make little sense from the Federation's perspective. Why would they build a station effectively honoring the Cardassians for a port in Bajoran space? The Bajorans put up with the station when it served their interests but it was always a reminder of the occupation. If the Federation were smart they would have put a Bajoran in charge of the design team.

Maybe it was an unimaginative Bajoran designer

 

[DS9forever]

I always felt that the Bajorans would view their control of DS9 as being a victory over the Cardassians.

 

[Elias Vaughn]

They're honoring the first DS9 while adding more modern, Federation-esque influences.

If all they wanted to do was placate the Cardassians, they could have just asked the castellan to give them another Nor-class station.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I assume the new station is intended to be a tribute to the old one as well as a replacement for it. It's a memorial of sorts, but also a continuation rather than an unrelated construct, hence why they gave it the old name, I guess. So I'd assume that they're keeping some of the old design features in honour of the historic Terok Nor/Deep Space Nine that everyone's familiar with. Let the old station live on in spirit. Plus, for all that the first station was originally the seat of occupation, it was a massively important part of Bajor's history and a unique "landmark" for the Bajoran system. I suppose they'd want to be careful and not be seen as sweeping that history away by making the new DS9 "just another Federation mushroom".

Nowadays, pleasing the Cardassians might be just as important as pleasing the Bajorans. The Cardassian Union is the Federation's ally, and according to Akaar the Federation is taking that alliance very seriously. Maybe they want to incorporate a degree of Cardassian-inspired architecture into the new station rather than be seen as sweeping away the imprint of Cardassian identity?

That would make little sense from the Federation's perspective. Why would they build a station effectively honoring the Cardassians for a port in Bajoran space? The Bajorans put up with the station when it served their interests but it was always a reminder of the occupation. If the Federation were smart they would have put a Bajoran in charge of the design team.

DS9 was originally built with Bajoran slave labor, IIRC. The Bajorans might want the new station to be a tribute to the old one, as a memorial to all of those who died during the occupation.