West 8th Street Subway Building : Information

Location: Manhattan, USA Architects: Acconci Studio FAÇADE FOR WEST 8TH STREET SUBWAY STATION The architect started a wave; we came in later and tried to make a wave, break a wave. Like a rise and fall of sand, like an ocean wave: use the wave, then, to make a view – the force of a wave – the wave forces a view. Not a picture of a wave, not a wave in two dimensions. A wave in all directions. The façade itself should be a wave, like a wave in the ocean, like a wave of sand. The façade waves out, bulges out, to enclose the stairway up to the station. A ramp to the station: the façade waves up and down, it waves out, it breaks to make an entrance. As the façade waves up and down, it waves in and out. The façade on one level waves in between the waves of the other level. The façade breathes in on one level, it waves onto the other level, where it breathes out. Where on façade breathes, the other breathes out. As the façade bulges in or out, it reaches a breaking point, it opens to make a view. It bulges in or out just far enough in to make a seat. West 8th Street Subway New York - images / text from Acconci Studio May 2008 West 8th Street Subway Interior : Acconci Studio New York Skyscrapers New York World Trade Centre Iconic Buildings