foster + partners re imagines grand central terminal, new york

‘grand central terminal’ by foster + partners, new york, USA image © foster + partners

one of new york’s most refined civic spaces, the ‘grand central terminal’ hosts ten times the amount of visitors it was originally designed for, consequently overcrowding all related infrastructure and surrounding landscape. foster + partners has been commissioned to revive and update the public space to improve the highly revered structure. the subterranean concourses will be widened to circulate larger crowds, along with the approaching sidewalks and tunnels on grade. confining streets will be made more pedestrian friendly, some of which denying automotive traffic altogether. smaller auxiliary galleries will be placed around the terminal, setting it in a more appropriate urban context and allowing extra space for larger events. the injection of trees and road cafes will bring a new character to the area.

adjacent pedestrian street image © foster + partners

many new trees and wider sidewalks accommodate growing crowds image © foster + partners

street cafes and supplemental public space creates a more friendly environment image © foster + partners

image © foster + partners

image © foster + partners

bird’s eye view image © foster + partners

site plans images © foster + partners