This is Staten Island Whitehall Ferry Terminal. It is located South from the Battery Park in Manhattan, NY, and it is adjacent to it. FDR drive leads straight to it from the East. Bus stop and subway station exchange about 70.000 passengers with ferry every day. They can get to the terminal by cars and bikes as well. Being a place of such a volume of people passing through it, the terminal must be able to properly accommodate them. To do so, the terminal has a plaza that serves as a buffer, and allows people to dissipate into the city without creating traffic congestion. It also provides the distance from which the architecture of the building can be appreciated. The North side of the structure is very tall. It creates the illusion of spacious entrance. The building actually is specious, but its height creates welcoming environment.
PS: another thing that I learned from the class is the idea of the ratio between building’s height and the width of the street between them. This device is helpful when outdoor public space of a particular mood must be developed.
