Oculus NYC: Inside the WTC Transportation Hub

Calatrava's Oculus is the World Trade Center Transportation Hub building that replaced the transit station destroyed on 9/11.

Beyond the value of its cutting-edge architecture, it houses an elegant shopping mall, several subway lines converge here, and it connects lower Manhattan with New Jersey.

What to see at the Oculus

It's one of the most photographed spots in the World Trade Center thanks to its distinctive shape. But looking at it from the outside isn't enough.

Step down inside this enormous rib cage, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, and all that light and marble will stop you in your tracks.

On top of that, the Oculus is one of the most important subway stations in Manhattan, connecting 11 lines and serving as one of the terminals of the PATH train to New Jersey.

To really explore the terminal, I'd suggest taking the PATH to New Jersey and, while you're there, checking out one of the Manhattan viewpoints along the Hudson River.

Another perk of Calatrava's Oculus design is that it lets you move through modern tunnels to the different streets and spots around the World Trade Center, which is ideal when it's freezing outside.

Westfield World Trade Center Mall

Inside the Oculus you'll find the Westfield World Trade Center Mall, where you can shop at the Apple Store, Lacoste, Samsonite, Victoria's Secret, Sketchers and plenty of other stores.

The mall sits beneath the huge wings that crown the structure and spreads out along its corridors.

It also has food outlets, perfect for refueling before you keep exploring Downtown.

Mall hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm, and Sundays from 11 am to 7 pm.

The design of Calatrava's Oculus

Beyond its practical purpose, the World Trade Center station was designed to become a symbol of a New York that doesn't give up, which is why it evokes a bird taking flight.

Its architect, Spain's Santiago Calatrava, named it the «oculus» because, as he puts it, the structure resembles an eye with long lashes.

It's a spiritual design that contributes to the rebuilding of Ground Zero alongside One World Trade Center, the 9/11 Museum and the 9/11 Memorial.

Another feature of this cutting-edge building: the roof can open and close mechanically to control light and ventilation.

The most expensive station in the world

The WTC Oculus is the most expensive train station in the world. Construction came in at double the original budget, stirring up plenty of controversy around the city…

It's part of the massive World Trade Center rebuilding project, which has soaked up more than $20 billion!

I'm convinced that in a few years it will become the icon of modern New York and all the criticism will be forgotten, just as it happened with other buildings that were controversial in their day, like the Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

This transit hub is worth every cent, because beyond its symbolic and aesthetic value, it's vital to the city: it connects with commuter trains to NJ, with 11 New York subway lines, with ferry terminals, with the 9/11 Memorial and with the World Trade Center buildings via underground passageways.

So there you have it: Calatrava's Oculus is an investment in New York's future and a well-deserved revitalization of its public spaces.

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