Façade specialist seele realized a free-form steel-and-glass roof for the Moynihan Train Hall in New York City.

5,116sqm

free-form steel-and-glass roof

3,384

insulating glass units

670t

structural steelwork

moynihan train hall - a 5,116sqm free-form steel-and-glass roof

On 01/01/2021 the new Moynihan Train Hall for inter-city and local rail traffic opened in the heart of New York City. For this important infrastructure project, the historic James A. Farley Post Office building was fundamentally remodelled, although the existing building had to be preserved. Situated in Manhattan, the new station was built to serve as a concourse to the nearby Pennsylvania Station and thus create more capacity for the growing number of passengers, which are currently more than 650,000 daily.

  • For this project, seele carried out the three free-form roof structures with an aluminium-glass skin above the structural steelwork.
    The roof over the train hall is formed by four 16m wide curving barrel vaults that cover a total area of about 3,000sqm. Restaurants and retail surround a hall with an area of 1,044sqm at the midblock entrances, underneath one of the smaller of the project’s glass roofs. The third roof structure, the Farley Skylight, has a surface of approx. 390sqm and a lower inside micrometer.
    The roof structures join up with the existing steel structure and consist of a gridshell of welded steel T-sections with tensioned cables. Separate aluminium-and-glass elements are fitted into the gridshell structure. A total of 3,384 insulating glass units and 670t of steel were required for the structures.
    seele’s contract also included the design and build of two true to scale mock-ups, which were required for visual and performance tests and were completed in 2018.
    Every component and element at Moynihan Train Hall is a one-off. Such diversification required highly precise planning and execution right across design, production, logistics and installation.

    Header image: Lucas Blair Simpson © Empire State Development I SOM

  • 3,384 aluminium glass elements were installed for Moynihan Train Hall, Mid Block and Farley Skylight by seele.
  • The free-form roof is formed by four 16m wide curving barrel vaults that cover for example restaurants and retail in the Moynihan Train Hall.
  • seele was comissioned to manufacture the free-form steel-and-glass roof  for the moynihan train hall.
  • The new roof structure from seele joins up with the existing steel structure and consists of a gridshell of welded steel T-sections with tensioned cables.
  • Four gridshell roof structures made by seele span the new Moynihan Train Hall
3,384 aluminium glass elements were installed for Moynihan Train Hall, Mid Block and Farley Skylight by seele.
© Lucas Blair Simpson © SOM
The free-form roof is formed by four 16m wide curving barrel vaults that cover for example restaurants and retail in the Moynihan Train Hall.
© Lucas Blair Simpson | Aaron Fedor © SOM
seele was comissioned to manufacture the free-form steel-and-glass roof  for the moynihan train hall.
© Lucas Blair Simpson © SOM
The new roof structure from seele joins up with the existing steel structure and consists of a gridshell of welded steel T-sections with tensioned cables.
© Field Condition
Four gridshell roof structures made by seele span the new Moynihan Train Hall
© Lucas Blair Simpson © Empire State Development | SOM

project diary

Installation progress at Moynihan Train Hall

Every component and element at Moynihan Train Hall is a one-off. Such diversification required highly precise planning and execution right across design, production, logistics and work on site. Therefore, seele provided two mock-ups, which were required for visual and performance tests.

  • 12/2020
  • 11/2019
  • 08/2019
  • 07/2019
  • 06/2019
  • 03/2019
  • 01/2019
  • 12/2018
  • 12/2018
  • 11/2018
  • 07/2018
  • 04/2018
  • 12/2017
  • 10/2017
  • 09/2017
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12/2020

By the end of 2020 all works were completed and the Moynihan Train Hall opened on 01/01/2021.
12/2020

11/2019

The glazing of the Farley Skylight has also been completed and the remaining work for the completion of the roof constructions will follow.
11/2019

08/2019

While sealing work on the other roof structures is in progress, assembly of the steel structure for the Farley Skylight began in July and was completed in August.
08/2019

07/2019

On 17/07/2019, a milestone was set with the installation of the last aluminium-glass-element of the Train Hall.
07/2019

06/2019

Three of the domes of the Train Hall are already glazed and installation of the elements on the fourth dome will begin shortly.
06/2019

03/2019

Glazing works at the Train Hall are in full swing while the glazing at Mid Block is already completed.
03/2019

01/2019

Steel construction works at Moynihan Train Hall continue to progress: two roofs of the Train Hall and parts of the Mid Block are now enclosed to ensure that the weather-sensitive work can continue during winter.
01/2019

12/2018

The assembly of the steel construction for the Train Hall is also progressing. © Skanska
12/2018

12/2018

All glazed units are installed at the Mid Block. © Skanska
12/2018

11/2018

In October, seele was able to start glazing works at the Mid Block. In total, seele manufactures and assembles around 3,000 aluminum-glass elements for the roof structures.
11/2018

07/2018

The assembly of the steel ladders at the Mid Block and the Train Hall is in full swing. © Skanska
07/2018

04/2018

During the last months, pre-assemblies for the roof construction have been carried out and the steel ladders have been delivered. On April 9, the first steel ladder was installed on the Mid Block.
04/2018

12/2017

Starting to work on site.
12/2017

10/2017

Visual approval of the mock-up.
10/2017

09/2017

Two mock-ups for visual and performance tests at seele's testing area in Gersthofen, Germany.
09/2017

Credits

Client Empire State Development
General contractor Skanska USA Civil Northeast, Inc.
Main contractor Skanska USA Civil Northeast, Inc.
Architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Engineer Schlaich Bergermann Partner
Date of completion 2020
Scope of work by seele

5,116sqm free-form steel-and-glass roof (member-node system with tensioned cable)

  • 3,384 insulating glass units with solar coating and frit
  • 670t structural steelwork
  • 3,463sqm roof surface over train hall
  • 1,264sqm roof surface over mid block hall
  • 389sqm roof surface for Farley Skylight
Awards
  • Prix Versailles Award for passenger stations, 2021
  • Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award, 2021
  • ENR New York Awards: Best Project, Airport/Transit & Award of Merit, Sustainability, 2021
  • Empire State Development (ESD) Building the Future, 2019
  • MASterworks Awards: Best New Infrastructure Municipal Art Society of New York, 2018
  • Excelsior Honor Award for Renovation/Addition AIA – New York State, 2018