In advance of Grand Central's 100th birthday next year, the Municipal Arts Society (MAS) asked three architecture firms to rethink the station's public spaces for the next 100 years. The results were unveiled last week.
From the bold to the incremental, SOM, WXY, and Foster+Partners presented their competing visions for MAS's Grand Central The Next 100 project last week at the non-profit's annual Summit for New York City. Jaclyn Hersh discusses the designs, which each, "used the existing Grand Central as a springboard to create
infrastructure that stimulates and interacts with the public realm,
connecting the terminal to the street and larger neighborhood." A neighborhood, it should be added, which is destined for a significant transformation in the Bloomberg administration's proposed upzoning for the area.
According to Laura Kusisto, writing in The Wall Street Journal, "The most visually striking proposal, designed by Skidmore Owings, is a
halo suspended between two new office buildings that would move up and
down. It would give visitors a view of the city from different heights,
similar to the London Eye."
FULL STORY: Foster, SOM and WXY Explore Grand Ideas for the Next 100 Years at Grand Central Terminal
Recounting One of America's Greatest Preservation Victories
As New York's Grand Central Terminal celebrates its 100th birthday, Kent Barwick recalls how he and a motley group of advocates including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis saved the building from being buried beneath a skyscraper.
Latest Plans for Atlanta's 'The Gulch' Megaproject Focuses on the Public Realm
The latest round of plans and designs released for The Gulch by developer Centennial Yards Company plots increased walkability and urban design choices that respond to the existing built environment.
Massive Climate Research Center Planned for Governors Island, Rezoning Now Included
A speculative but exceedingly ambitious plan is pressing for air time in New York City.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research