We are celebrating 15 years — and counting — of stories that are deeply researched and deeply felt, that build a historical record of what the city has been.
We are celebrating 15 years — and counting — of stories that are deeply researched and deeply felt, that build a historical record of what the city has been.
Details of winning entries from the Grand Central Terminal Moleskine competition
On February 2nd, 1913, the doors and tunnels of what is now one of New York City’s most venerated landmarks opened to the public. Grand Central Terminal heralded a new era in transportation for the city, one powered by electricity instead of steam, and driven by carefully designed pedestrian flows and efficient boarding systems. The grandeur of this feat of civil engineering was matched by its architecture — the striking Beaux Arts façade, soaring main concourse, grand balconies and ramps guiding passengers in and out, the celestial ceiling — and its impact on the surrounding city.
In 2013, Grand Central Terminal will celebrate its centennial with a year-long series of events, exhibitions, performances, artistic installations and projects to honor the building’s legacy and imagine its future. As part of that celebration, the Architectural League and the New York Transit Museum partnered to host a drawing competition for architects and designers to capture or re-imagine the New York City landmark. The winners are featured in a special edition Moleskine sketchbook alongside historic material from the Transit Museum’s collection.
This week, the League features the winning drawings along with commentary from some of the competition jurors, including Michael Webb, Professor at the Cooper Union and original member of Archigram; Gabrielle Shubert, Director of the New York Transit Museum; John Hartmann, Co-founder of Freecell; and John di Domenico, Partner of di Domenico + Partners. Click over to archleague.org to see the complete feature and to read about Grand Central Terminal as a catalyst for creative inspiration and the many ways architects and designers experience and represent place.
The views expressed here are those of the authors only and do not reflect the position of The Architectural League of New York.