A Study on the Urban Spatial Significance of Railroad Undergroundization -focused on Grand Central Terminal-

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) This study examines the undergroundization process of the Grand Central Terminal in New York, which rapidly experienced the formation of a modern metropolis, along with the process of laying railroads, and examines how it influenced the three-dimensional reorganization of the urban spatial structure, and constructing an underground space. The purpose of this study was to examine the meaning of undergroundization in modern metropolitan cities. (Method) IIn order to examine the process of underground railroads in Manhattan, the beginning and growth of the New York Railroad and the change and process of railroad transfer to the underground were analyzed in a timely manner based on historical facts. Through this, the reason why railroads are made underground, centering on the Grand Central Terminal, was analyzed, but the process of reorganizing urban spaces three-dimensionally by dividing the ground and underground along with the connection with the subway was conducted. (Results) The Grand Central Terminal was built on the site of 42nd Street, which was the site for repairing the first steam locomotive, while attempting to streamline train operation along with the integration of Vanderbilt's three railway lines. In response to the rapid increase in the number of users, it gradually expanded to meet the demand, absorbing nearby sites, but in a social atmosphere where steam engines were banned due to successive train accidents, horizontal expansion was no longer difficult. Wilgus rebuilt the railway station as a large-scale underground platform from 42nd Street to 59th Street using the public domain at the time. (Conclusions) First, the basis of the construction of the current Grand Central Terminal was the development of technology to operate in an underground tunnel by connecting trains with electricity, measures to ban steam locomotives from operating throughout the city due to a train accident, and finally, trains. It was confirmed that there are three factors: pressure to improve the noisy and dirty city image of Park Avenue, where driving and stopping are taking place. Second, the undergroundization of the Grand Central Terminal was an opportunity to greatly increase the potential and possibility to utilize the underground and the ground in three dimensions. Land holders near the station were able to secure the best floor area through high-density construction, and as a result, high-density high-rise buildings were built on the ground, and railroad tracks and platforms were built on a massive scale underground. Third, because of the railroad tracks, the area near the railroad has a duality that limits human accessibility. In the end, the undergroundization not only allowed pedestrians to move safely without obstructing the flow of traffic by using the underground space physically, but also enabled the spatial connection that had been disconnected by railroad lines, thereby enabling integrated urban development.