Gateway Center

Los Angeles, CA

Gateway Center, the country’s largest intermodal transportation facility, is the centerpiece of a pedestrian-focused downtown revitalization plan. EE&K’s master plan for the 75-acre Alameda District centers on a site adjacent to Los Angeles’ landmarked Spanish-style 1930s Union Station. The Gateway Intermodal Transit Center links nearly every means of ground transportation including buses, subways, Amtrak, light rail, and the Metrolink commuter line, together with a 3,000-car park-and-ride facility—returning this neglected location to its origins as the grand portal to Los Angeles.

Convenience and access were paramount, but was the desire to create a first-class environment and a compelling hub for the district. The plan responded with a design that recalls the civic architecture of the world’s great railway stations. The East Portal—the physical gateway—features a monumental stone archway through which travelers enter the main terminal, whose dome of etched glass and steel soars to a height of 90 feet. The interior is enlivened with brightly-patterned stone paving, murals, and a 7,000-gallon tropical aquarium. More than a terminal, this is a space for art, live music performance, and refreshment.

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