Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the well-preserved architecture of Union Station is complemented by the timeless design and durability of Patsaouras Plaza. As a client to Catellus Development Corporation and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO), OLIN completed a design for a part of the nation`s largest multi-modal transportation hub at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. As the namesake to Nick Patsaouras, former Regional Transportation District board member and advocate for public transport, the plaza was created to enhance historic Union Station while encouraging widespread use of Los Angeles`s public transportation system. The exterior plaza uses patterned paving that extends through vehicular pathways, making it feel like a vibrant piazza rather than a stark terminal. Drop-offs and throughways for transit are integrated within the civic space, and the design features comfortable places for gathering and waiting, a sunken urban garden with fountains, pockets of native plantings, and interactive works of art. Integral to the curving walls, the sweeping arcs of bus shelters on the exterior drop-off create shade for passengers.
