7 Airy Train Stations That Put NYC’s Penn Station to Shame

Architects, citizens and New Yorkers rejoiced several weeks ago when Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans to revamp the perpetually infuriating confusion that is Penn Station. Since the original Penn Station was torn down in the early 1960s to make way for an office tower and Madison Square Garden, the city has mourned the loss of what was once a crown jewel of civic architecture and now resembles little more than a cramped and labyrinthine rat-trap. However, the public railway station at the heart of a city does not have to be a dehumanizing experience for all those involved, as other prime examples of this critically essential urban form can attest. In fact, they can often be some of the most affecting and important structures in a city’s fabric.

While the 20th century saw an increasing reliance on planes and cars that ultimately signaled the decline of the industry, cities are once again looking towards trains and railroads in their efforts to expand and enliven this sustainable transportation option. Not only can it serve as a piece of infrastructure serving many thousands of people, but the properly designed and executed railway station can become a focus point of activity for the city, a gathering place perhaps or a symbol of the city’s continued livelihood. The following projects then offer compelling examples of when a train station can introduce a particular kind of open space into the city, where the architecture embodies a feeling of lightness and transparency of form that expands the possible uses of the site. The redevelopers of Penn Station would do well to take notes from some of the projects presented here.

Rotterdam Centraalby Benthem Crouwel, Rotterdam, Netherlands

This transparent, open train station is nestled in the heart of the city and connects multiple transportation networks (including high-speed rail) to one of Europe’s foremost capitals. The project reconfigures an older station that featured pedestrian tunnels and individual canopies overhanging the platforms. The new station connects the entire concourse under a single roof structure of beveled glass and steel, creating a sense of cohesion for the traveling passenger.

Wuhan Stationby Arep Group, Wuhan, China

Wuhan Station in China’s Hubei Province features an undulating white canopy roof designed to resemble the wings of a yellow crane, Wuhan City’s symbol. There are nine separate platforms, representing China’s nine provinces, connected to a main thoroughfare by a series of concrete ramps.

Fulton Center by Grimshaw Architects, New York, N.Y., United States

In addition to Calatrava’s soaring World Trade Center PATH station, downtown Manhattan has gotten another light-filled transportation hub with the Fulton Center. It connects eight subway lines within a single building that features commercial space and interweaving pathways under a large domed atrium. Serving almost 300,000 commuters daily, the Fulton Center redirects light into the usually darkened corners of the transportation system through the ingenious artwork designed by the architects.

King’s Cross Stationby John McAslan + Partners, London, United Kingdom

The renovation and addition to London’s historic King’s Cross Station saw the restoration of a previously hidden façade and a dramatic new structure of steel latticework sprouting from the brick shed. The project strikes a balance between the striking contemporary additions and subtle interventions that improve functionality while respecting the past.

Denver Union Station by Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill (SOM), Denver, Colo., United States

This swooping layered steel-and-fabric canopy spans 180 feet across multiple railway platforms with an open-air oculus at its center. The structural system of arch trusses has both practical load-bearing characteristics as well as an expressive language of dynamic transparency.

MIT Manukau & Transport Interchangeby Warren and Mahoney, Manukau, Auckland, New Zealand

This New Zealand building combines both an education complex and a railway station into a single environment designed to expose commuting passengers to the opportunities of higher education. A six-story atrium greets people as they enter the space with flexible classrooms and student spaces surrounding the gracious hall.

Turin Porta-Susa Station by Arep Group and Silvio d’Ascia Architecture, Turin, Italy

Echoing the glass and steel arcades of 19th-century railway stations, this project highlights the renewed importance railroads are having in the 21st-century urban fabric. Situated along a highway and bisecting the city’s core, the glassed-in gallery serves as both an international transport hub and a provider of basic services.