Amidst all the dark tidings from the world’s metropoles, some light at the end of the tunnel came with the New Year opening of the Moynihan Train Hall annexe to Penn Station in NYC.
And this gives me the opportunity to speak to Michael Kimmelman’s verdict at The New York Times. (Kimmelman, their architecture critic whose opinions – for instance, on the perversion of “the classical” that I linked to from this post – and multi-media projects, like last year’s virtual walking tours of NYC, are always impressive.)
Firstly, Kimmelman lauds the very fact that, in these extraordinarily stressed times, such an immense public works project could be fulfilled – and within schedule and budget! And with plaudits for all those concerned – from the architects, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, and construction engineers, Schlaich Bergermann to Gov. Cuomo and all those in-between. Placed in the historical context of its original function as a general post office and mail sorting facility (later named the James A. Farley Building, and from the same firm of architects, McKim Mead and White, responsible for the old Pennsylvania Station opened a couple of years previously and demolished in 1963), beautifully described (and pictured) are the sky lights and trusses as ” […]aerial feats of sculptural engineering and parametric design.” And recognised are the tributes paid to the original Penn and Charles McKim in the arched windows inspired by the Baths of Caracella and the geometric, hanging clock, designed by Peter Pennoyer.
Original Pennsylvania Station 1910 (demolished 1963) 
Clock under the dome of the exit concourse 1962 
Baths of Caracella, Rome (drawing reconstruction), 1899 
General Post Office, 1912 (Farley Building)
As a with all contemporary public projects, the realist Kimmelman acknowledges the role of commercial and retail influence, but is satisfied that, for the moment at least, these haven’t intruded excessively into the public space, and that the main hall has been designed with utilitarian motives and not capitalist; passenger service as the imperative. And that the space has been magnificently served by art installations courtesy of the Public Art Fund.