The Municipal Art Society (MAS) of New York—a nonprofit organization concerned about "intelligent" urban design and planning—has approached prominent architecture firms and studios to reimagine some of New York's key landmarks, like Madison Square Garden and Penn Station.
Diller Scofido + Renfro's envisions a "Penn Station 3.0" that will be able to provide for "commuters, office workers, fabricators, shoppers, foodies, culture seekers, and urban explorers." Their concept includes a "multi-level complex that's topped by a rooftop public garden."
Moreover, the design "separates out the fast-moving commuters, who are confined to the lowest level," while not forgetting to include "layers of stores, cafes, a spa, and even a theatre," allowing those who aren't in such a rush, to take their time.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP's (SOM) design entails a proposal for a "four-towered megastructure" that would allow for a large green space within Penn Station.
They hope to realize "a commercial property the size of Rockefeller Center, a public park four times the size of Bryant Park, a city of culture larger than the Lincoln Center, along with a residential development "the size of Tudor City."
SHoP Architects' plans are of a less grandiose scale. They hope to expand the main hall of Penn Station into "a bright, airy, and easily navigable space," so as to create a "destination district" where people could meet up.
They also catered for "significant security and rail capacity improvements," alongside plans for new parks and "an extension to the High Line" that would connect the new Penn Station to a revamped Madison Square Garden.
Have a look at the images below to get an idea of what the architecture firms have in mind for Penn Station:
Diller Scofido + Renfro's:
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM):
SHoP Architects:
[via The Verge, images via Municipal Art Society, SOM, SHoP Architects and Diller Scofido + Renfro]