Before his current 30-plus-year tenure as design leader for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Robert Eisenstat, FAIA, spent 15 years in private practice in the U.S. and Brazil. At the Port Authority, Eisenstat’s work at the intersection of public space and transit—including the $10 billion master plan to replace the Port Authority Bus Terminal—has impacted millions of people.
What is your greatest achievement? What is the most memorable moment of your career? What has been the most rewarding collaboration?
The answer to these three questions is intertwined—and revolves around the World Trade Center. In the aftermath of 9/11, as the principal architect within the architectural unit of the Port Authority, I served in a key role to this transformative effort. We had two basic tasks at hand—the restoration of the Port Authority Trans-Hudson commuter rail to Lower Manhattan and the transportation planning for permanent construction that would follow. The Temporary PATH Terminal was designed and built in approximately two years—to universal appeal—through a combination of light, space, and placemaking. The transportation planning effort we led expanded to include the entire Lower Manhattan precinct. The strength of our planning effort was confirmed through the design and construction efforts that followed. During these parallel efforts, I was “attached at the hip” with chief architect Robert Davidson, FAIA, while assistant chief architect Donald Fram, FAIA, led the architectural efforts for all the other projects of the agency. The number of colleagues involved within my organization, and on the outside, was extraordinary, and there was an incredible unity of purpose that resulted in environments that we are all proud of.
What role should architects play in the planning and design of our public buildings and spaces?
As professionals who care about and design the public realm, we should represent the concerns of the public—whether we are functioning as designers, administrators, or advocates, our training and experience are valuable assets that can be used to inform a consensus-based approach to the design of public space. This can be leveraged through the projects that we are directly involved in, as well as through participation in decision-making entities such as planning and community boards, and advocacy groups such as AIA committees. Public architects can also play a positive role in the transportation and infrastructure projects that are often led by engineers.
What inspired your interest in public design? What influence has the world of transit had on your design?
I have been fortunate to have some great mentors, from my initial architectural education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, my subsequent early professional career in San Francisco and Rio de Janeiro, and now the over 30 years I have spent at the Port Authority, a regional entity that serves New York and New Jersey. I have witnessed the ability to positively impact large numbers of people through architecture, and the intersection of transportation typologies and public space has been an ongoing theme for work in my current position, as well as my involvement in the AIA and related efforts.
What does it mean to win this award?
The award provides an affirmation that my passion for the promotion of transportation and infrastructure for public benefit are not seen as mutually exclusive. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and AIA New York, have provided extraordinary opportunities for me to make an impact on projects and environments used by millions of people who live in or visit the New York City region.
