The station, built in 1950, has not been updated since 1979. In the years since, it’s been criticized as “out of date,” “unsafe,” and even been named as one of the world’s ugliest buildings.
So, earlier this year, the Port Authority announced a design competition to completely revamp the station. Five of New York’s biggest design firms contributed ideas which were released on Thursday.
“It was never the intent that we would come up with one concept that we would move forward with,” John Degnan, chairman of Port Authority New Jersey, told Crain’s New York. “The eventual design could be an amalgamation of some of the ideas that are raised here.”
A rooftop park:
Glass and greenery:
A modern concourse:
Open air spaces:
A grand hall of light:
The Port Authority has not made any announcements about the designs except to say that the final planning process will be much more collaborative than a single design firm submitting ideas. The agency hopes to involve the public and major stakeholders in the design process.
Isabelle Laurent is a Built Projects Editor at Arch2O, recognized for her editorial insight and passion for contemporary architecture. She holds a Master’s in Architectural Theory from École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville. Before joining Arch2O in 2016, she worked in a Paris-based architectural office and taught as a faculty adjunct at the École Spéciale d’Architecture in Paris. Isabelle focuses on curating projects around sustainability, adaptive reuse, and urban resilience. With a background in design and communication, she brings clarity to complex ideas and plays a key role in shaping Arch2O’s editorial