The building is a huge hall with a parabolic ceiling profile: the architects were inspired by the famous train stations of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, such as the Grand Central in New York, and hangars for military airships during the Second World War. The terminal shell consists of a metal frame and a polymeric ETFE cushion membrane; at its highest point, it reaches 45 m. The internal space of the building will be divided between ticket offices, cafes, shops, service infrastructure, recreation areas.
The main purpose of the terminal is to serve high-speed trains, a network of roads for which is planned to be built in California, as well as throughout the United States: in the future, passengers will be able to get from Anaheim both to San Francisco and Las Vegas, and to the Canadian province of Ontario.
But the terminal's primary function is serving Orange County, where it is located. This transport hub will connect railway lines, intercity bus routes, taxi ranks and urban public transport stops. There will also be a monorail from Disneyland located in Anaheim. Thus, residents will be able to move comfortably without the help of a personal car - which will have a beneficial effect on the state of the environment and relieve highways.
The architects expect to receive LEED Platinum Certification for their construction - thanks to the use, among other "green" elements, of solar energy to generate electricity and heating water, and the ability of the membrane to regulate the penetration of natural light. Compared to standard indicators, energy consumption will be reduced by up to 50%, water consumption by up to 40%, solid waste will be reduced by up to 70%, and CO2 emissions by more than 35%.
The construction of the terminal represents the first phase of the development of an area of 6.5 hectares in the center of Anaheim (due to open in 2013). As part of the second phase, it is planned to set up a park there, create a new square and build shops, office and residential buildings.
The competition for the ARTIC terminal also included Santiago Calatrava, Norman Foster, SOM, Cesar Pelli, and RMJM with Frank Gehry.
