The new construction in this case is connected with the reconstruction of the bus terminal of the Port Authority of New York: in order to make the reconstruction "self-sustaining", it was decided to supplement the existing building of the bus terminal with a 40-storey office complex. This is far from the first idea of this kind in history: not so long ago, it was decided to do something similar in San Francisco. It is interesting to note that the composition of architects participating in the closed competition in New York is almost the same as in the California version: Cesar Pelly (the San Francisco winner) and Richard Rogers tried their luck both there and there. Architectural firm KPF joined them in Manhattan.
Lord Rogers has developed the most discreet design of the three: he sees a new tower of four blocks connected by a system of criss-crossing trusses; The cruciform motif is drawn from the completion of the terminal building, which will be complemented by external escalators housed in glass pipes - a trick for Rogers already tried.
KPF, on the other hand, plans to hide the metal structure of the terminal behind colored glass, and make the skyscraper above it in the spirit of "corporate architecture" - a prismatic volume with curtain walls made of transparent glass.
Cesar Pelli leans towards accentuated decorativeness: his building imitates a wicker ornament in glass.
As part of the reconstruction of the terminal, in addition to the construction of an office complex, it is planned to significantly increase the number of "berths" for buses, as well as to convert about 5.5 thousand square meters. m of its area in a shopping center.
UPD on November 6, 2008: Richard Rogers won the competition.
