Philadelphia 30th Street Station

903 Words2 Pages

A central hub for transportation located on the boundary between Center City and West Philadelphia, 30th Street Station is both a functional and aesthetically important piece of architecture. Its grandiose structure stands out in the present day, surrounded by steel and glass skyscrapers that are popping up west of the Schuylkill River. At one point it was likely one of the largest structures in its location, but it has recently been overshadowed by the architectural endeavors that have arose in recent years. The station itself is grand both interior and exterior, with columns emphasizing the height of the building and the airy interior that results. Overall, Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station is an important architectural symbol of the city …show more content…

The arterial approaches and directly faces the front of the station, emphasizing the station as a node in the city. Originally, it was one of the largest structures in West Philadelphia, certainly in conversation with the Philadelphia Art Museum with its similar materials and grandiose style. In the present day, 30th Street Station can at times be overshadowed by the towering skyscrapers to either side – Cira Centre South and the FMC building. While this may be true in terms of relative height, the importance of 30th Street Station as a transportation center for the city cannot be overshadowed, nor can its architecture which stands out in its Art Deco style among the modern towers pervading the cityscape. With this in mind, the importance of 30th Street Station as an architectural monument in the city of Philadelphia cannot be …show more content…

Its large sestet of columns on either side draw the eye vertically to emphasize its height, making one feel insignificant compared to the structure. Additionally, the vertical structures on the windows on either side of the columnar façade work with the verticality to emphasize the grandiosity of the structure. The Corinthian style columns provide for an elegant, sturdy appearance for the structure’s support (though they appear to be more aesthetic than functional). This gives the station a very grounded appearance situated in the heart of Philadelphia’s University City district. Similar to this feature is the striking symmetry of the building on its west and east side. The main structure is the six-column protrusion, emphasizing the grand size of the station, with two identically-designed sections on either side. This symmetry also provides a sense of grounding for the building in its space. To continue with the idea of the structure as grounded, it is important to note the elevation of the station. When viewing the station from its Market Street approach it is at grade without any stairs to enter, so it appears almost to be below street level. This provides a situated sensation when viewing 30th Street Station, which is fitting given that it is intended to be a seat for the city as a transportation hub.
Looking at 30th Street Station from the exterior gives two possible suggestions for an

More about Philadelphia 30th Street Station

Open Document