New Bus Station in New York

Abstract

The bus station, recently built near Washington Bridge, New York, is a terminal of the New York to New Jersey line. It is reached by ramps which lead to its 10 platforms, where 36 buses can be parked simultaneously. Up to 2000 buses can use the station in one day. Because of the special circumstances of the building, the top platform is entirely open, to facilitate ventilation. The structure of reinforced concrete supports three floor levels. One is taken up with workshop servicing and entrances, the second has ticket offices, escalators and services, and the third constitutes the station proper, with the ten bus platforms. The structure involves open frameworks, which are visible both from inside and outside. The special type roof consists of 14 tetrahedral units, whose lateral faces are open triangulations. These rests on a series of columns, hinged at the bottom, placed along the centre of the building, and on the external walls. Although all structural elements are very strong, the total design looks slender and attractive. Concreting was done at the site, and the concreted surfaces have been left uncovered.