Adjacent to
the Ground Zero memorial is the Hub’s centerpiece, the Oculus, desig
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ned by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava to resemble a dove taking flight. The structure is formed by softly-curving, white, steel ribs that rise from below the ground to form an elliptical dome over a vast concourse. The structure uses 11,500 tons of structural steel, and free from internal columns the concourse reaches a length of 350 ft and a height of 160 ft. The transparency of the structure allows light to flood through onto the grey and white marble floors below, and a skylight that runs the length of the Oculus’ spine will open each September 11 to honor the memory of the victims.
The interior
of the station house contains two underground floors, which house part of the Westfield
World Trade Center mall. The transportation hub connects the various modes of
transportation in Lower Manhattan, from the Fulton Center in the east to the Battery
Park City Ferry Terminal in the west, through the station house. The hub
contains connections to various New York City Subway stations. It is the fifth-busiest
transportation hub in the New York metropolitan area.
The Westfield
World Trade Center mall is also within the Oculus building. The new station has
received mixed reviews: although the hub has been praised for its design, it
has also been criticized for its high costs and extended delays.
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