NEW YORK CITY—The Oculus, the $4 billion subway station, transportation hub, shopping center, visual spectacle and monumental public space is a critical part of the downtown economy. Yet its physicality and design also frequently elicit visceral responses. CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) New York arranged for two small group, private tours of the development with Westfield WTC project manager, Javi Battle.
Architect Santiago Calatrava created the stunningly eye-catching steel structure to represent a white dove being released from a child's hands. Battle noted that Calatrava is also a structural engineer who was a bridge builder by trade.
The 110 white-painted steel ribs, each weighing 56 tons, were cast in Italy, at one of only four factories around the world having the manufacturing capability for the job said Battle. The ribs were transported on nine ships. They rise to the skylight roof, an oculus, which is an architecture term meaning an eye-like opening. The building's design lets sunlight fill the pristine white, airy space, accentuating the white marble floor.
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Betsy Kim
Betsy Kim was the bureau chief, East Coast, and New York City reporter for Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com. As a lawyer and journalist, Betsy has worked as the director of editorial and content for LexisNexis Lawyers.com, a TV/multi-media journalist for NBC and CBS affiliated TV stations in the Midwest, and an associate producer at Court TV.
