• Proje Yılı

  2014

Described by the New York Times as a captivating tourist attraction, "Fulton Center" is a station in Lower Manhattan. It opened with the slogan "Welcome to the station of the 21st century" and is currently the largest transportation hub in New York. The station connects nine subway lines and experiences a high volume of ridership, which can sometimes result in a chaotic atmosphere.

At the heart of the project, which has been providing an impressive travel experience for approximately 300,000 daily passengers since November 2014, is the "Sky Reflector Net". This innovative design, created by James Carpenter, Grimshaw Architects, and Arup in collaboration with daylighting consultancy of DURLUM, consists of a transparent and luminous sky dome. The dome creates an illusion of being outdoors, allowing users to relax and escape the usual tension associated with heavy traffic.

The central feature of the station is a 24-meter-high oval dome with skylights that reflect natural light into the atrium through a unique construction.

A network of steel cables suspends 952 daylight-reflecting Durlum panels, which transmit light from the top down to the circulation areas and two floors below the shopping center. The "Sky Reflector Net" captures the dynamic interplay of sunlight and color throughout the day, infusing the atrium and tunnel corridors with a vibrant atmosphere. This architectural arrangement creates a special connection between visitors, the building, and the outside world, resulting in a truly unique transportation experience.

Each of the 952 perforated daylight-reflective panels, measuring up to two and a half meters in length, was individually designed and sized by durlum to align with the overall design, structural requirements, and lighting strategy of the project. The perforation pattern of each panel was carefully oriented and manufactured in different diameters based on its specific installation location. The precise three-dimensional angles for orienting the incoming daylight were determined and designed by the planning office in close collaboration with durlum.

The Sky Reflector Network exemplifies the art of architecture and lighting. The flawless execution of this innovative concept was made possible through the expertise of skilled engineers and exceptional coordination among all the project stakeholders.