Oculus in New York

The Oculus in New York is a striking building in Lower Manhattan. This unique construction was designed by renowned architect Santiago Calatrava and is part of the World Trade Center complex. The Oculus is a transportation hub for the PATH trains and a number of subway lines, and it also houses a shopping centre and some great places to eat. Make sure to visit it during your trip to New York.

Oculus in New York

The Oculus is definitely a real eye-catcher when you are in Lower Manhattan. This white spiky building can be found next to the 9/11 Memorial.

What you cannot see from the outside is that the entire complex is mainly underground. Inside Oculus New York you will find a wide open concourse that you can admire from all three floors of the main structure, as well as various forms of public transport and a large shopping centre.

Architect Calatrava

The Oculus in Manhattan was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, who is also known for the Peace Bridge in Calgary. The outside is meant to resemble a bird, symbolising freedom and the rebirth of the city after the attacks on the Twin Towers.

And it is not just any design; there is a small opening in the roof that runs the length of the entire station building, and every September 11th, at 10:28 in the morning, the sun shines directly through this opening. This was the moment that the second tower collapsed in 2001.

World Trade Center Transportation Hub

The Oculus is home to the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, which is the official name of this unique construction.

The building also serves as a station for PATH, the train connection to New Jersey. You can even catch the metro here! Subway lines 1 E R W depart from Oculus.

Westfield World Trade Center Mall

You can also go shopping at Oculus, as a whole shopping centre has been built into the complex. The Westfield World Trade Center Mall has almost 365,000 square feet (34,000 m2) of retail space on two floors. There are also plenty of places to get something to eat and drink.

From the Oculus, you can walk to Brookfield Place via an underground passageway, another shopping centre that features more luxury brands.