New Buildings

While I was walking around my neighborhood looking at buildings and trying to figure out which ones might have been built after 1950, I thought to myself; I've lived in this neighborhood my whole life and have seen many new buildings built. What better choice than a project I have seen built from beginning to end. One of the buildings that came to mind was the train station at 74street Roosevelt Avenue. Construction for a new this new train station began in the year 2002 and was completed in the year 2004. This structure was built as a bus terminal as well to better accomodate the many bus lines that pass through this area. Prior to this construction, this intersection was notorious for traffic jams as cars waited patiently for busses to make sharp turns or stop and pick up passengers. What attracted me to this building is that it is practical since it neatly routes all the busses and provides a shelter from the elements to the many commuters. At the same time it is aesthetically pleasing. Its design is very modern, with sleek steel lines and a simple sillhouette. When entering the train station the doors are framed by steel beams symmetrically place pn either side. Large cathedral like cielings all done in glass and steel allow an immense amount of light to penetrate and houses the occasional lost pidgeon. This is the first structure of its kind in Jackson Heights, a neighborhood most noted for the character of its pre-war buildings. The architect managed to incorporate this very modern structure amongst buildings that are anything but modern in such a tasteful manner that the building does not look out of place. While passing under the boistrous 7 train one is easily distracted at the magnitude of the station. Its simplicity is very welcoming and in great contrast to the constant traffic of both pedestrian and cars. I believe that architecture should not just be practical, but beautiful as well. The picture I have icluded shows the back of the station and the bus terminal, where in neat well labeled lines you can wait for your bus under a roof, whereas before you would have had to exit the train station and walk to your bus stop that may not have even had a bus shelter. This design places the train station and bus terminal all in one flowing coherent structure. I believe that this embodies the idea of good design and appeal to the comfort of the masses as well.