The Oculus - World Trade Center Transportation Hub

This site just recently opened to the public, on March 3, 2016. Parts of it are still under construction, but I thought I would check out the Oculus and hub, which has caused some controversy for its final price of nearly $4 billion.

Here are some looks from Dey Street just off of Church Street:

And here's the other side of it from the park between the Oculus and the North Pool at the 9/11 Memorial:

The architect's name is Santiago Calatrava. Although his design was altered over time because of security, money, and space issues, his idea was for the Oculus to evoke a dove being let go by a child into the air. 

While it is hard to separate the structure from the money it cost, I found the Oculus interesting and unique. I appreciate its ambition to have its own shape and form and be uplifting, instead of trying to be overpowering in height or bulk. I understand the price issues, but at least it wasn't expensive and also uninteresting. 

I admit that I had not heard of the word 'oculus.' Its architectural definition on dictionary.com is "a circular opening, especially one at the apex of a dome."  

Here's more evidence that it is a work in progress:

Because of all the ongoing construction in the area, I found it a bit disorienting to figure out where I could enter the hub to get a look inside. 

I eventually learned that there is public access to the inside of the Oculus through 4 World Trade Center, which is just south of the structure. 

After an escalator ride and a couple of hallways, it opens up to a pretty remarkable space:

I tried to use the panorama option on my phone:

I really like how open the space is, and that it lets in lots of natural light. I was definitely impressed overall. 

It looked like there would eventually be escalators leading to the balcony on one end:

Going up to that balcony would give a nice overview. 

And when I left and took an escalator up one level, I saw this area under construction that might also eventually be a good viewing area:

One end of the open space leads to the PATH train:

Here are some more looks inside:

It is such a big, open area that I even noticed a pigeon flying around a couple of times. I couldn't get a photo of it, though.

Another entrance to the hub is just north of the Oculus, near the intersection of Vesey and Greenwich Street.

To the left of the escalators is the entrance to the PATH train, which seemed to be the only access here for eventually reaching the inside of the Oculus. Since I wasn't interested in buying a PATH ticket, I walked through that opening straight ahead in the above photo to see what that led to.

At first it led to a rather dreary walkway:

There was also a very loud noise that sounded like roaring water, which I figured was because it was close to where the North Pool was, including its waterfalls and open middle:

After the brief walk through the dreary hallway, the doors opened to a rather stunning contrast:

While this space was not as open and vast as the inside of the Oculus, I still appreciated it very much. It is called the West Concourse and it opened in October 2013.
   
There's a cool little bridge on the second level:

 Here's a closeup of the plaque on the left of the above photo:

There are suggestions of future stores along the second-level walkway:

Along this passageway is also the entrance to the observatory at One World Trade Center. An escalator ride past the observatory entrance area leads to an exit. I looked straight up when I got outside:

It's a tall building, in case you were wondering. Wikipedia says it is the tallest in the West and the sixth-tallest overall, at 1,776 feet.

The West Concourse also connects to Brookfield Place, which is west of the West Side Highway and has office buildings and some high-end stores, along with places to eat and several tall indoor trees. 

One side of it faces the marina along the Hudson River. Here is a photo across the West Side Highway, from just outside the opposite end of the building:

Between the Oculus and the highway is the North Pool, mentioned earlier. Here's one more look at it:

Nearby is the 9/11 Memorial Museum:

And the South Pool, which I also took a panorama of:

Also near the Oculus, on Church Street, is St. Paul's Chapel:

 Here was a small structure also on the Chapel grounds:

 

I think that wraps up this post. It was a photo-heavy post but I hope it was worthwhile for discovering the Oculus and some of the area around it. Thanks for reading.