Finally, after missing five trains and taking a few more wrong exits; I nailed it, one of my favorite building/structure to visit. “New Path Station” Designed by Santiago Calatrava. It was like brainstorming to me, when I was going through its preliminary designs. And this moment, standing right in front of it was not less than dream come true….

I was loaded with expectation and excitement; I took a deep breath when I first saw it. At that particular moment I suppose, Calatrava was not as proud of designing it as I was to be there.

But, eventually, as I start looking all around………………It was very disheartening. Okay!!!!!! I don’t want to take much background here, I don’t like it, I just DON’T like it. I got choked on my neck, I was literally about to cry………

It was like trapped small poor Dove. It lacks a lot of breathing space. Apparently, it’s extended wings were giving the feelings of suffocated structure within the tall buildings all around, the scale of the building is very very inappropriate. Either it could be smaller than it is now, or a huge majestic one. Geometrically, it is very odd.

It is commonly known as “OCULUS”, I guess it was the concept of the design. Oculus simply means an eye. In Architectural term, it means a circular opening, especially one at the apex of a dome, or in Archeological Term, Oculus means a design representing an eye. It was representing none of it, besides a narrow line of openings on its top, I guess it was done just to meet the concept of the design.

Very futurist design, modern materials………It indeed looks like a Four billion dollars building, no wonder! It is very pleasing to eyes but it cannot touch my heart and I guess the architectural soul of that particular site. It was not what I had expected from one of my inspirational masters. I missed my favorite architect Peter Zumthor like never before. It was an imposition of a pure form to that site, it was for business, a non-architectural attempt, injustice to the national economy and insensitivity to the Ground Zero.

Even after going through too many criticisms against Calatrava, I had never given upon him… Condolence to my expectations……..