The Oculus

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

199 Fulton Street at the corner of Fulton and Church gives you a beautiful view of The Oculus as well as the seating area in front of it. This location is just a block from the major shopping that the Westfield World Trade Center mall provides, as well as being within walking distance of world-famous restaurants such as Eataly and Nobu. This location is also within walking distance to many other tourist spots such as City Hall and St. Patrick's Chapel.

Images

The Oculus During Daytime

The Oculus at Sunset

The Oculus from Above

The Oculus Interior

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Our third stop on our tour is The Oculus. This architectural beauty acts as the transportation hub of the World Trade Center and most of Lower Manhattan. The new architecture features large white ribs that cover the station and protrude into the sky. This space is also home to many shops and cafes for travelers to stop in.

Designed by Santiago Calatrava, The Oculus has become one of the most visited transportation hubs in Manhattan and has new commuters and tourists every day. Since it was built in 2004, this space quickly became a must-see for everyone visiting NYC.

The original goal of The Oculus was to bring more people to lower Manhattan, which was not seen as a safe space post 9/11. The goal was achieved, and now downtown is booming as a cultural and tourist hub. As more businesses move the headquarters from Midtown to Downtown Manhattan, this revolutionary transportation hub will bring together people from all over the world to visit lower Manhattan.

Sources

Fazzare, Elizabeth. “Santiago Calatrava Explains How He Designed Ground Zero's Oculus For Future Generations.” Architectural Digest. Accessed November 10, 2020. https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/santiago-calatrava-explains-designed-oculus-for-future-generations.

“9/11 Ground Zero Guided Tours " How to Visit the Oculus at the World Trade Center in NYC.” 911 Ground Zero Guided Tours. Accessed November 10, 2020. https://911groundzero.com/blog/world-trade-center-oculus/.

Shovava, Today is Art Day, Comma, and Viviva Colorsheets. “The Oculus: An Exclusive Look at New York City's Transportation Hub and Touching 9/11 Tribute.” My Modern Met, July 2, 2019. https://mymodernmet.com/the-oculus-santiago-calatrava/.